Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Her heart gave a throb at his words and her lip curved up again as she set her glass down. The unexpected.. the unknown. They could be frightening in a way, but sometimes, just every now and then, there was something so incredibly enticing about them. She wasn't afraid of what was happening with Orion - wherever it went, she was glad to have met him, and that wouldn't change. He was someone she needed in a difficult period of her life, and if that was all he ever was, she couldn't regret it...
She hoped for more, but only time would tell. Only time and a little bit of work on both their parts, to make sure it wasn't a complete mess. And maybe a little shade thrown Hadassah's way... because she had doubts the girl would give up, even if she and Orion went full public-display-of-affection on her.
Reaching out, she traced her nails along the edge of his hand, before sliding her fingers through his, rising to her feet. She came close to eye level where he sat, the coy smile still fixed to her lips as she shrugged her shoulders, "You don't have to thank me, Orion. But you could come upstairs, if you want..."
GIDEON KERNS
It hadn't been his intention to turn the conversation so dark, and it certainly hadn't been done to force Enna into sharing. He sat up straighter as she spoke, riveted... horrified by the words coming out of her mouth. A chill filled him to the core, turning him to ice inside, before a heat rose behind it, his heart pounding harder against his ribs... hard and painful. Of course... of course that's what it was. Because why the hell not? The universe was a bigger bitch than Hadassah...
He was quiet for a long time, after she finished, staring forward at the wall ahead of him. He couldn't do it. He couldn't lose someone else. Not when he had finally grown accustomed to the idea of not being an isolated hermit for the rest of his adult life. He couldn't lose her. Not when he was fairly certain if they were together much longer, he was gonna fall all over again, the same way he had with Leah. Hard and fast... and deeply.
Looking to Enna finally, he shook his head, his eyes narrowing, "No. No, screw that. Screw it. I'm not gonna lose you, Enna. So screw genetics. DNA. Tests. The whole damn thing. I refuse to accept it, and you should to. I'm not gonna let it happen. You hear me? I won't..." Reaching out, he cupped his hands to her cheeks, pulling her close to press a kiss to her forehead, "I won't..."
He'd only gotten about halfway through his drink when her finger distracted his own hand from the glass. He opened his palm to her as she traced the lines and the callouses, the hundreds of small scars from burns and scrapes throughout the years, the line of black grit packed beneath his nails from knowing hard work. When she captured his hand, he didn't need to be asked twice to stand. He slid from his stool and paused only to throw some cash down on the bar to pay for their tab.
"That sounds very nice," he agreed. What had started as a dinner and drinks sort of date evolved very quickly into something more, and he was not disappointed by the development. Any hunger he felt dissipated quickly into nothingness as he gave her hand an affectionate squeeze.
"Your room or mine?" he asked. "Mine is currently chalk full of explosives, so, I'm not sure how comfortable you feel hanging out with sticks of dynamite but…" He gave a shrug. He slept next to them every night and it never bothered him, but most people were not as casual next to highly volatile things as he was. [/hr]
Enna Sparks
The worst of it all was the guilt. The guilt of dumping the weight of her existence on Gideon so soon after he opened up and shared about his own past. It wasn't fair to him. She'd spent her entire life since the diagnosis keeping it to herself—smiling, making jokes, pretending everything was fine—just so she wouldn't have to put the weight of her mortality on anyone else. People treated her with pity, but she never wanted anyone to feel like they had to do something, but she couldn't keep it from Gideon.
Not when they were bonding and she was caring for him more and more. Not when she was breaking her own rules. If she was going to break her own rules, the least she was going to do was be honest with him and to give him a chance to understand there was no such thing as a life with Enna Sparks. What's worse was he fell silent and she didn't know what to expect, so she kept pulling that damn string between her fingers, over and over, because it was easier to be uncomfortable with busy hands.
His conviction, when he finally uttered a response, drew a sad smile to her face. She leaned into the kiss when he offered it and placed her head on the curve of his shoulder. "That's very kind of you. Maybe you're right. Maybe it's a mistake." She's considered the possibility that it was a misreading, a false positive… of course she had. For weeks after the news, she rationalized it in her head that it wouldn't happen, but that was dangerous thinking. Dangerous because who would she hurt in the process? She didn't cry any more than she had, because she spent years sobbing. There just wasn't anything left to be cried.
Kids, marriage, dating… it just wasn't in the cards, or the genes. [/hr]
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
A brow lifted at his question, and the follow up brought a beaming smile to her lips as she shook her head. He was the demolition expert, but somehow, she'd expected his materials were something that could be ordered as needed. To know he had them in his hotel room, snuggled up near his bed was both amusing and somehow, a little sexy. There was something dangerous the man, but not in a way that made her the remotest bit afraid of him.
He was new and exciting. Something that she would never even had considered, before she had thrown caution to the wind and come on the trip. Maybe that was the only benefit she'd get out of the experience, but it was one hell of a benefit, and she couldn't be sorry for it. Not in the slightest.
Stepping forward, she pressed up onto her toes so her lips brushed the shell of her ear, her voice a sultry whisper, as the fingertips of her freehand tip-toed along his bicep, across his shoulder, "...In that case, Mr. Petrove... definitely yours."
GIDEON KERNS
Shaking his head, Gideon held her back by the shoulders, firmly, though gently, and met her eyes with defiance, "No." He repeated again, his thumbs brushing her shoulder blades, "It's not right or wrong, Enna Sparks. Maybe you are some damnable witch, put me under a spell, but I swear to you, I'm gonna find a way... I don't care what it takes. I'll find a way."
He was about to come into money, with this trip. It was a nice idea, living a life of luxury, but it would be worthless if in the end of it, Enna Sparks was just a nice memory. He would take every last dime he had and pour it into finding a solution. Any solution. Otherwise, what the hell was the point?
Tugging her in, he held her close and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, "You put it back in the vault, baby girl. You keep it there, okay? Because damned if I'm gonna lose the one person got me feeling like life is worth living. You lock it away in there and you never let it out. Don't you let it ruin you."
Her touch brought up a rise of goose bumps. He subconsciously tipped his head closer, her warm breath ghosting across the column of his neck and causing his heart to jump into his throat. "Alright," he agreed without a moment's hesitation. "My room it is then." They walked, his arm looped through Corrina's, without any particular rush. He moved slowly, but not purposely so. Instead, he seemed to be taking his time and enjoying the moment as they ambled, his eyes soft and set straight ahead as they stepped into the lift and he punched in the number for his floor.
Upon arriving, he coaxed her in the right direction with a soft tug of his arm, remaining peacefully silent the remaining stroll. It wasn't until they arrived to his door and he swiped the keycard to enter, did he seem to forget about the leisureliness of their arrival. The door swung closed without restraint and slammed violently into its frame, but Orion was too busy scooping his arm around the woman's waist to pause to close to door nicer.
He tugged her close and slammed his lips against hers once in the privacy of a room—away from the curious eyes of foreign bystanders and hotel surveillance. [/hr]
Enna Sparks
It was dangerous to believe in promises like that, she knew. Even worse, it was dangerous to make promises like that but meeting his gaze, she knew she wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise. Worse still, she knew she wouldn't be able to convince herself otherwise, either. He had a way about him that when he spoke, she believed him. She trusted him. Not because he was the natural leader of their little group—their cheerleader, their encouraging voice—but because there was a startling honesty to him that was so disarming.
Verbally, she didn't reply to him. Instead, she just allowed herself to be pulled into his chest and once there, melted warmly into his touch. "First, we just need to make it out of this trip alive." Her head occupied the space against his shoulder, her lips close enough to his neck that she could feel the body heat from it. Her arms looped around his waist and she rested there because she needed to. For just a moment… a moment to put back on her brave face, her 'everything is fine' face.
She was forced to when a knock came at the door, followed by a very audible 'room service.' "I think our healthy diet food has arrived," she murmured, her voice lacking its usual jest, but she raised her head all the same and went to uncurl her legs to stand. "Just in time, too. I could use the grease." [/hr]
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
God. She couldn't remember the last time that she'd ever entered into something with such reckless abandon. Not just romantically, but in general, her life had been so careful, so practiced, and she had thought it was better that way. But as she moved through to the lift and then through the hallway with Orion, her heart pounding with a pleasant exhilaration in her chest, she couldn't imagine why she'd ever have thought that.
Inside his room, the door slammed, but Corrina couldn't be made to care. His arms came around her and with a murmur of encouragement from the depths of her throat, she kicked herself up off the floor to loop her legs around his waist, her fingers brushing through his hair, pulling him as close as was humanly possible.
GIDEON KERNS
It was tragic. It was worse than tragic. The pain in his chest only tightened further, until his heart hurt. He could remember Leah, remember what it felt like to see the life leave her eyes... to feel her cooling in his arms. He couldn't do it again. Not with Enna. Not with someone who was so full of life, so full of light and energy and warmth. Spark was the most impossibly perfect name she could ever have been given - a name so suited to her fire, and brilliance...
Losing Leah had nearly killed him. Losing Enna would finish the job. He didn't want to save her, he needed to. He was going to keep his promise, or die trying... there was no other choice, "We'll get through it." He noted with a firm nod, "You and me, together, Enna. We'll get through this job... and then everything else that comes after."
The knock at the door gave him a start, but breathing out, he rose and moved to answer it, nodding to the man before taking the cart, rolling it in. Closing the door behind himself, he returned to the bed and leaning down, pressed a warm, searing kiss to Enna's mouth, pulling away only a fraction, a moment later. When he straightened, his face was a mask of determination and gesturing to the cart, he smiled, "You ask, you receive. Grease, my dear."
With her legs around his waist, Orion's arms hoisted her closer, supporting her meager weight against his own. He held her for only moments before turning and tossing her on to the bed with a soft bounce of the mattress, only to follow quickly by covering her body with his, their lips apart only seconds, but didn't linger long. His mouth moved to her cheek and neck, a tender brush of his lips right across her pulse point.
"You are beautiful, did you know that?" he asked, his lips hovering just above her ear, pressing a gentle peck against the shell. He felt greedy wanting to steal so many kisses so quickly, but each time he tried to slow down, a shiver of anticipation claimed his nervous system and any resistance against it was futile. His hands found their way below the hem of her shirt, trailing up her sides and hooking against her lower back. "And I'm not just saying that because you're here, surrounded by enough explosives to level the hotel. Don't tell the staff, I don't think they know," he murmured with a smirk, scraping his teeth against her collarbone. [/hr]
Enna Sparks
Enna shivered and that time, it wasn't from the cold. "One thing at a time," she said, rubbing her arms. "First, we get through this Atlantis job." That would be an endeavor in and of itself. It already was turning out to be, and she was interested to see what the next morning would bring. News of where they'd be going, surely, a new lead. She couldn't even begin to fathom where they might end up next, but her imagination wasn't exactly fueled with excitement at the moment. No, what she needed was a burger, some fries, and a relaxing night away from Kristof, Hadassah, and everyone else. Come morning, she would put on her usual, chipper face and that would be the end of it.
Whether or not Gideon was serious, she didn't know. They hadn't known eachother long, and he had no obligation to her. Though she felt like there was something between them—a spark—she didn't want to guilt him into doing anything for her because she was sick. Too many people pitied her for too long, doing things they didn't really want to do because "they felt bad." The last she wanted, or needed, was his feeling sorry for her, but he didn't seem to. He treated her with concern, but not pity, compassion, but not sympathy. Ultimately, she chose to believe him because she needed to.
The genuine smile returned to her face when the smell of heavenly greased foods rented the air and she was kissed. Her hands wrapped around his shoulders and she pushed herself up to meet him in an eager kiss, but nudged him aside only a moment later. "Good, because I'm starved." She yanked one of the platters into her lap and threw aside the lid without concern for where it went, because she needed a french fry in her mouth as quick as she could manage it.
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Corrina wasn't generally a person who gave in to the desires of the heart. She was focused, and patient, lacking much in the ways of spontaneity. Whatever it was about Orion, all her self control fell to the wayside and she couldn't be made to mourn it.
His words, whispered and sweet set her aflame and leaning up into his kiss, she purred gently, "You keep talking about explosions, Bonito. So let's see some, hmm?"
Curling her fingers around his nape, she pulled him closer, kissed him, until oxygen was absolutely necessary. His teeth grazed her collar and her fingers dug into his shoulder.
Her fingers slid to the buttons of his shirt, working at them with every ounce of patience she had remaining, resisting the urge to just rip the thing open. Patience, however, was a fortunate virtue of hers... And necessary, it seemed, for the knock that resounded at the door as she finished the last button.
"Oh... You're joking. If that's anyone but the housekeeper..."
GIDEON KERNS
As Enna shoved him gentle aside to make for the cloch covered cart, he managed a small, worn smile. She was good. Better than she probably realized. The entire time, she'd hid it... Given no indication. Might've gone the entire time without telling anyone.
But she had told him... And for all the weight it placed on his shoulders, he was glad she didn't have to carry it on her own.
Moving to take his own tray, he sank back against the headboard and pulled off the cover, "Oh, yeah. Definitely the best doctor recommendation I've ever had."
His hands explored up the length of her sides, his fingers fumbling with the clasp of her bra when a knock caused him pause. He sighed, thumping his head on her shoulder with an amused, but exasperated, laugh. "It's eight thirty at night, I doubt it's the house keeper," he groaned, but managed to pop the clasp, deciding to ignore the knock. When it sounded a second time, more powerful than the first, he grunted and picked himself up, but not first without pressing a kiss against her cheek.
"Alright, alright," He buttoned one of the buttons at the center of the shirt, going to answer the door and shoo whoever was on the other side away as quickly as possible, for he was busy. They were busy. Pulling back the chain lock, Orion opened the door and leaned his weight into the door frame. "Yea?" [/hr]
Enna Sparks
There was something liberating about sharing her long-protected secret with Gideon. She would always feel bad that she was putting an enormous weight on his shoulders, but she knew that sharing with him had been the right decision. He deserved to know, especially if they went any further down the road they were traveling. That didn't make it any easier to bear, and it certainly didn't make her believe that everything would be alright in the end, but it was a first step.
And the second step was biting into her burger. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and indulged in the tasty meal silently, mostly because she was too busy eating to talk. She didn't slow until she was nearly halfway through her burger and suddenly regretting wolfing down the first half so quickly. "Ughh," she groaned, falling back on her elbows to take a quick break. "I ate too much, too fast," she admitted with a painful laugh, rolling her head to the side to look over to Gideon.
"How about you? How are those doctor recommendations taking you?" Rolling onto her belly, she curled her legs up behind her and smiled. "You look handsome with your hands wrapped around all that meat." She gave him a wink, a giggle, and rolled back up to a sitting position to munch on a fry. [/hr]
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
"Then I hope whoever it is, they can run fast.." She mumbled, as he rose to answer the door. The heat she felt dissipated at the sound of the voice on the other side of the door, turning instead to ice. He was nearly whispering, quiet as a mouse, just barely audible to her from a distance, but the German accent was impossible to miss, and the coolness of his tone came through, even at such a low decibel.
She couldn't see him, and had doubts that he could see her, but just the thought of him drove a spike of fear through her. And knowing Orion was there, in the line of fire... knowing she wouldn't be able to get to him fast enough if necessary make her heart pound again, in an entirely unpleasant sense. The artifact was in Gideon's safe hands, but the journal? The journal was in her room... hidden away, but out of her hands.
"Mr. Petrove... Please. I need to speak to you. This is a matter of utter importance."
GIDEON KERNS
He ate. He ate, because even the worst news in the world could not detract from his appetite. He was glad, really, for the greasy, salt-rich food - because a salad in that moment just wouldn't have cut down to the heart of what they both needed. Fat and comfort. He devoured the burger and the fries, without a second thought, and when he finished, he looked down at Enna with a laugh, shaking his head.
"I'm not sure what that even means, but thank you? I'll definitely be regretting it later, when I've got the heartburn of a seventy-six year old man, but hell... it was worth it." Curling closer, he lay back, reaching over to loop his hand around hers. He didn't want to talk anymore about what she had told him, but it seemed strange, just pretending it wasn't happening at all. Pulling her hand to his lips, he kissed the back of it with a small sigh.
He didn't know who to expect, honestly. It was too late for the cleaning crew, and they hadn't ordered anything from room service. His only expectations were either Gideon, who'd inherited the role as the team's leader in a sense, or Hadassah. Neither face was on the opposite side of the door, but the man he opened to was a face he did know. Straightening his posture, Orion glanced uneasily over the German, searching the man's hands for a gun. While he didn't find one at first glance, he didn't allow his guard to falter.
"Talk to me?" he inquired with some hesitation, angling his head just a smidge to get a better look at the tall, broad man who painted an intimidating figure in the hotel hall. "What's this about, anyways?" What made him most uneasy was thinking about how their gun wielding friend found his room number.
Orion stepped back, his hand gripping the door tight, but not committing to throwing it closed in the man's face. An overwhelming sense of protectiveness over Corrina swarmed him, but also did rationality. The man hadn't been afraid to point a gun at an innocent woman earlier, so something told him he wouldn't let a measly hotel door get in his way. The man wanted to talk and while Orion wasn't particularly interested in anything he had to say, he saw no other option left to him at that juncture.
"Alright, so talk." [/hr]
Enna Sparks
She didn't finish her food, but for a woman of her size, Enna put away a serious amount of burger. Like him, she knew she'd come to regret it, but in the moment, her belly was painfully full and that made her feel good. The grease and salt helped her mood, too. It usually did. Food had become a sacred secret weapon for him at keeping emotions in check, and she could always count on sugar and salt to give her the boost she needed. Her smile was back, and it seemed just as honest and genuine as ever.
"Well," she said, crawling up next to him and not untangling their hands as she did. "I don't know. The doctor is out of suggestions." She laid her head against the curve of his shoulder, staring out at the TV, which was turned off. "We should probably get at least a little bit of rest. It sounds like we'll have a busy day tomorrow, and will probably be leaving this city for whatever is coming next."
Enna curled her legs up and bowed in a small shape underneath Gideon's shirt, eyes closing in long, slow blinks. "Where do you think all of this is going? What do you think we'll find in Atlantis, if we end up finding it?" [/hr]
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Corrina pulled herself to sit up as she listened to the conversation best she could. Orion had positioned himself in front of the doorway, blocking her from the German's vision, but she could hear still, and his words, as they had in the library, send another wave of shivers down her spine.
"My name is Erich... I am a member of the Brotherhood. I realized now that my previous approach was perhaps misguided. I won't ask that you understand why I found it necessary, but know I intend no one harm. I would not have hurt her... that woman. But it must be understood, Mr. Petrove... this mission can lead to nothing but utter ruin... unless you follow my instructions. You mustn't trust what you see there. Be on your guard... and beware the secrets you keep. They will come back to haunt you. All of you."
Reaching into his coat, his other hand raised to indicate the action harmless, he produced a small leatherbound book, "This is the journal from the last expedition team to attempt this journey. Please. Read it... and may it bring you guidance. Good luck to you, Mr. Petrove. Good luck to you all, and may God have mercy on your souls." Nodding, he turned and without another word, he made her way to the stairwell, disappearing behind the door.
GIDEON KERNS
He nodded to her suggested, rolling onto his side so he could look at her, reaching out to brush the hair from her cheek, "Probably a good idea. It's been a long day, and I don't expect tomorrow to be any easier or shorter. Might be our last night in a swank hotel, too... I love a good camping trip, but you can't beat a feather mattress and duvet."
Sitting up again, he moved the trays back to the cart and rising, rolled it to the door, opening it to stash the whole thing out in the hall, before he closed it up again, looking back at her, considering her question with a raised brow, "All of this meaning... this trip, darlin? Or you and me? Cause honestly? I'm not sure I know the answer to either of those... Good places, I hope. But hell... tomorrow's always a little foggy."
Moving back to the bed, he sank down, smiling faintly, "But whether we find it or not, I think good things'll come from all this. You stayin' here tonight? Or need a pair of sweatpants for the road?"
Whatever drove Erich to find him, in particular, out of the whole crew, Orion couldn't even begin to guess. He agreed to listen to what the man had to say, but kept a wary eye on him the entire time. He offered no response to the comment about Corrina, except for a snort. Whether or not the man spoke the truth, Orion wasn't the type to gamble The fact that he had been willing to put a gun to anyone's head spoke volumes to his character, and Orion didn't like it. Not one bit. Yet, the man's words came as a surprise.
He spoke in a near friendly tone, but with a hint of warning. "What do you mean, beware of our secrets?" he asked, but received no answer. What he did receive, however, was a journal. It was thrust out towards him and he reached for it hesitantly, taking it between his fingers and flipping it around a few times to inspect it. It was a weighty journal with smooth, buttery leather bindings. He unwound the cord that kept it shut and flipped through the pages.
"Yea, thanks," he replied, glancing up just in time to watch Erich turn and walk away, disappearing down the stairwell at the far end of the hall. Orion turned and closed the door behind him, making sure to slide both the bolt and the chain lock into place before returning to the bed and sitting down on the edge. In his hands, he kept flipping the journal over and over, but not daring to read the contents. After a few moments of processing the conversation, he sighed and pulled open to the first page, but didn't read the text, opting instead to glance back to Corrina.
"This is supposed to be the journal from the last team that tried to find Atlantis." [/hr]
Enna Sparks
"Mmm, I used to camp a lot when I was younger, with my grandfather. Well, my adoptive grandfather. He loved camping. He had a large property with a cabin he built himself." He'd tried to teach her all the tricks of the trade: how to survive the wilderness, what was edible, what was not, how to build a fire without a match… she hadn't been very studious at that age, at least when it came to survival skills, but she loved when they'd go out. He'd always hang a hammock for her and she'd play all day in the thing. She spent nearly every summer of her younger years out in those woods—camping, fishing, getting scared by her grandfather's ghost stories around the campfire.
And oh, the number of S'Mores she ate. Inwardly, she smiled at the memories as they rolled across her mind, disappearing as quickly as they'd appeared. "But I was talking more of Atlantis," she admitted. "I have no idea where anything in life is going, especially my life." She glanced towards the relic he'd brought up with him.
It was getting late and the conversation dissipated. "I should probably head back," her tone sounding less than thrilled with the idea. "If we're going to be moving tomorrow, I should make sure my medicine bag is in order." She didn't know exactly what to plan for—colds, broken bones, hematomas, heart attacks? All of the above? She could only pack so much in her bag and even then, she could only carry so much weight. She needed to be selective about what she chose to bring with her, and what she chose to leave behind.
"That, and as much as I'd love to stay in this T-shirt forever, I think I should probably find a change of clothes for tomorrow." Enna slid off the bed and stretched her arms above her head with a pitiful, sleepy yawn. "See you tomorrow?" [/hr]
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
It wasn't how Corrina had expect the evening to go... not by a long shot. Her fury at having been interrupted had dissolved, and the fear, too, with it. Confusion took their place, and as Orion returned with the journal, she took at look at it, staring at the leather cover with the same expression of trepidation.
Reading it could very well change everything, and knowing the success they had that day, did they dare? The team had survived one big hit, but could it survive another? Did she even want it to? All the drama made it painfully apparent this wasn't going to be a cakewalk... but the genuine danger behind it was the real issue at hand. How much risk was too much risk, just for discovery?
Reaching out, she pulled the journal from his lap and set it on the nightstand, "We need to discuss it as a team. Tomorrow morning, when we meet, we'll tell them about it..." Her hand fell to his, curling around it as she shook her head, "You okay? I heard that voice, and I thought... God."
GIDEON KERNS
Chuckling, Gideon nodded, "I always wanted to build a cabin. I realize that's like... stereotyping myself into the redneck Southerner, but hell... There's just something about making something like that with your bare hands. Something no one else has..."
Looking over at her as she continued, the smile faded and he leaned back on his hands, "I mean... we can't expect it to be easy." He agreed with a sigh, "Even without the issues we've already come up against, with angsty Germans and the potential of being arrested by monks... We're bound to run into bigger trouble down the lane. If it were easy, people would have already found the city, right? But I think it's important... what we're doing, and I think with everyone combining their uses, we'll figure it out."
At her words, Gideon nodded and rose to his feet, grabbing his duffel bag again. He tugged out a pair of black sweatpants and moving closer to Enna, held them out to her, "For the record... Much as I like the look, I prefer you out of the t-shirt." With a wink, he reached to tug her in by her hips, "You absolutely sure you gotta go?"
"Yea… Yea, I'm fine," he explained, and it was the truth. The interaction with the German hadn't bothered him on a personal level, per se, but it made him begin to question a great deal. He wondered what fates befell the team written about in the journal. He kept flipping through the pages, but never slowing down enough to read any of the words. Death? Disease? Or had they simply given up? His mind wandered back to the German and what he'd said—secrets, Brotherhood.
He snapped the journal closed, but continued drumming his fingers against the leather bindings. He didn't want to read it, but it would have to be read… by the team, just like Corrina mentioned. They deserved to know just as much as he did, though why the German had selected him as the bearer of the journal, he didn't know. "That's a good idea," he agreed with a sigh, like a kettle that was over-pressurized, by still over the fire. The weight of Corrina's hand fell against his and he spread his fingers to lace them together.
"He said something else, too. He said he was part of the Brotherhood, and that we had to be careful with our secrets we kept." The man hadn't said much more about that, and Orion spent a few seconds in silence trying to pull out any major secrets from his past, but none came to mind. He'd had his accident, sure, and his medical discharge, but neither of those were secrets. He told anyone who asked. He had stolen gum from a convenience store a few times when he was a teenager, but he doubted that qualified.
"I dunno, it was all very… strange." [/hr]
Enna Sparks
"It was amazing there. Before he died, when I was in my undergrad, I would go there to study for weekends because it was just so quiet and peaceful, I could study without being bothered." It was much easier to dismiss Gideon's warnings of danger when she was thinking about the cabin and the nature it was surrounded by. A whimsical half-smile remained on her lips, even when she glanced to him. "Who knows, maybe you can build your cabin in Atlantis," she teased. "You'll have prime real estate options."
Truthfully, Enna wasn't sure what Atlantis was. The legends foretold it was an ancient, sunken city, but she wondered about that during their journey. Was it truly a place? Or was it an object, like the Holy Grail? The options were endless, and the clues they'd received so far had not been particularly forthcoming with explanations. Whatever they were going to discover, assuming they made it that far, was bound to be incredible.
Snatching the sweatpants with a smirk, she hung them over her shoulder and allowed herself to be captured by those powerful hands that were so delicate against her skin. She stepped forward into his embrace, until no space was left between them and perched up on her tippy toes. "I suppose I can stay, if I get up early enough tomorrow." Arms snaked around his neck, [/hr]
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Corrina paled at his words, and her eyes shifted forward, her heart giving a throb in her chest. Somehow, she didn't think the German was privy to everything - even if he did know a bit more about them than she'd expected. He knew their names, their occupations... but what else could he possibly have garnered?
Swallowing around the uncomfortable knot in her throat, she considered those words. Maybe is was as simple as just being honest... open. But was that ever as simple as it sounded? She had made the mistake of sharing about her past, about her family before, and it had cost her. Jobs... friends... Orion was the first person in a long time she had allowed herself to grow close to. If she lost him, too...
Her eyes flickered to the journal again and she sank back, staring at the ugly carpet pattern with fixed attention, "...My last name isn't Jacobs. It's Rojas. The reason I was raised by my Abuela... the reason it was necessary was began my father is a Colombian drug Lord. El Extraño... The Stranger. That's what they call him, because anyone who knows him. Anyone who's met him... they're either with him, or they're dead. It took half my life before we escaped, my grandmother and me."
GIDEON KERNS
Laughing softly, Gideon shook his head, "Sounds like fun, but I hear it's a flood zone, and I'm not such a fan of swimming. But I'll have it someday... my cabin. And I'll take you there." The resolution was said without irony or sadness. In his mind, he was determined she was going to live, and therefore, there was no reason to question it. None at all.
As she looped her arms around his shoulders, he grinned and leaning in, stole a kiss, nodding faintly, "Oh, I am just so... so glad to hear that." He wasn't looking forward to ending the night - not after the conversation they'd had earlier. There was no telling where they'd end up the next few days, and it might very well be the last bit of personal attention he could bestow upon the gorgeous blonde, "I'll set an alarm..." He mused, with another kiss, scooping her up into her arms, to deposit her back on the bed, "Make sure you're up in time to pack."
Bending over her, he trailed his lips along the stem of her throat, her collar bone, looking up at her with a smirk, "...No promises you'll get to bed on time, though."
Where coming up with a secret of his own felt so difficult, he couldn't have even begun to imagine that Corrina was next to him fighting a secret her own. His eyes glanced over her by mere chance, and when they did, he paused at the sight. Her expression was contorted in a way he'd never seen before, strained like a dam that was beginning to have holes poked by the enormity of the water behind it. And then, all at once, the dam burst and Corrina nervously began to speak.
She told him a story he could barely believe, let alone wrap his brain around. He kept the journal in his lap but leaned back on his hands, processing the information for a silent moment long after she finished her explanation. A drug lord? Corrina's father? His brain worked to put the pieces into place, but it was not quick enough to do so in one sitting. "I…" he cracked after a pregnant muteness. "I, uhh… wow." What was something one could even say after learning a story like that?
Glad you escaped? What a life? I tried cocaine a few times back in the 90's?
If the German he spoke to talked about secrets, could it mean he too knew of Corrina's background? That felt like a dangerous risk to take for her. Her father must have had connections… he couldn't just lose his daughter for long. Nothing he could think of felt appropriate. "I mean, I stole some gum from a convenience store when I was fifteen," he muttered in utter disbelief, his eyes a little wider than normal. "I'm sorry, that's all I got. It's a pretty weak follow-up." [/hr]
Enna Sparks
He promised he'd set alarm, but he certainly wasn't moving decisively to do so, and Enna could not have cared any less. The series of kisses to her lips was enough to silence any internal conflict over should and wanted. She should have spent time organizing her medical bag and packing up her suitcases. She spent her whole life doing what she should, and what did it get her? It got her a degree in a field she loved, it got her a good job, a good apartment… but little else. It didn't get her love, or happiness. It didn't give her a longer life, or a life of higher quality. Enna was done, at least for the time being, doing what she should.
She was going to do what she wanted, and what she wanted was to sleep—or not sleep—in Gideon's bed.
He placed her on the bed and she smirked, her eyes mostly closed—just open far enough that she could see the blurry image of him through the beam of her eyelashes. A murmur of agreement rose through her throat as his lips found all the most sensitive places on her throat. Her chin tilted back, hands tangling up in his hair. "What a shame," she purred in a breathy voice. "I guess I'll just have to live with being a little tired tomorrow morning."
Thoughts of Atlantis were quickly forgotten. Hell, even thoughts of her disease and mortality were thrown to the wayside, because in those moments, the chaotic vortices could only focus on a few things: the rough touch of Gideon's calloused fingertips, the warmth of his breath spilling across her collarbones, and the little uttered phrase that sounded more like a promise than a threat. The sweatpants he'd offered were discarded on the floor, long forgotten. [/hr]
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
As she fell silent, she wasn't entirely sure what to expect. So many times, those words had backfired on her, and in the worst possible way, she wanted just once, for someone to understand. But she would not have been surprised if Orion was put off by the idea. Her father was a dangerous man, and that came with a stigma that was sometimes impossible to ignore, especially for a person she had only really just gotten to know.
So when he opened his mouth, she anticipated something negative... Something devastating, and she steeled herself for it, breathing deeply, holding it. It escaped a moment later in a near gasp, as his words resonated within her. With another shuddering breath, she threw herself forward, her arms coming around his neck as she shook her head.
"Oh Dios mío! You don't have to... Orion, I don't care if you've got a follow-up or not. I just... I couldn't... What he said, that man? I can't go into this with a secret like that hanging over me. I... I can't go into whatever this is with you, with that hanging over me. I want you to know me, Orion. And this is a part of me... I just... I hope you can be okay with it?" Leaning back, she dried her eyes, scoffing softly at the tears, "Not how I saw tonight going..."
"I don't think either of this even know what this is," he explained, gesturing to the small space between them. He certainly didn't. He wasn't a fortune teller and he didn't know what the future held in store for him, her, or them together. Maybe nothing. Maybe the adventure would end tomorrow with the team falling apart, and they'd go their separate ways and be a nice memory. Or, not. Maybe they'd go on and something deeper would bloom between them. Her arms clasped around his neck and he brought his own embrace around her middle, tugging her close.
"I'm going to save the 'your dad is a dangerous man who may want to kill me' worrying for another time." The last thing he wanted to do was jump to make a decision based on something so large that she just told him about. He needed to let it settled in his thoughts for a few days, so he could process it and fully wrap his thoughts around what it meant. In the meantime, he wasn't going to let it bother him. Between the two of them, they had a number of much larger problems to deal with. The team, for one, and the adventure, another. The morning would come swiftly and relentlessly, and they'd have to be prepared for that.
Hugging her close, he toppled over backwards and dragged her with him, so she was lying across his chest. "Honestly, I didn't either," he admitted. Just a few minutes ago, he'd expected he would have been stark naked and rolling around the sheets but… in life, sometimes things got in the way. "Oh well, I guess that's just the way it goes. Something tells me this trip will be just one long series of interuptions."
He lifted his head up from the mattress to press a kiss on to her cheek. "Hm, you must have had a pretty interesting life though. I thought you were an interesting person before, but now, you're just all the more mind-blowing for it." His hand stroked down her back, fingers combing through her hair. [/hr]
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
With a sigh, Corrina settled her cheek against his chest, letting his fingers work through her hair, in pleasant ministration. She wasn't used to relying on other people, and already this trip put her so far out of her comfort zone... But somehow it was easy with Orion. Somehow, trusting him came almost natural.
"I think we should wait..." She said softly, before pushing herself up a little, to see him better, "To show them the journal. We found one clue, and that was hard enough... Who knows how far we have to go from here. I know what that Erich guy said about danger and secrets... But if we tell them about the journal now? We'll kill the trip for sure. People quit their jobs for this... Left their families. If that's for nothing? Maybe he's just trying to scare us. Whatever this is, though... We have time to decide what to do. And I think we need to wait."
Biting her cheek, she curled back down against him, and as he continued, a dry smile formed as she shook her head, "You think that's interesting, you should hear how we escaped. My Abuela was a brilliant mastermind, that woman. Taught me how to swim... How to hold my breath for over two minutes. We took a trip on my father's boat... And jumped into the river. Swam to safety without surfacing. It was something out of a movie... But that's my grandmother for you."
Orion's head was back against the mattress, his eyes staring up at the ceiling with a tightly knitted brow, deep in concentration. One hand, he understood where Corrina was coming from. It could very well be a fake, a rouse, given to them by the German to help throw them off. He could have invented it all himself, just to scare them. On the other hand, he considered the gravity of what it all meant. Who was he to keep a secret from others? And if something bad did end up happening, could he carry the burden of knowing his choice of keeping a secret might have been the tipping point between someone living or dying? He wasn't sure, so he didn't say anything.
Were his thoughts visible, they would be an inverse explosion, crazy chaotic turns and twists of lights all coming together to focus on one thing, a journal. Though they spun in a way that appeared to be without design or logic, they always danced their way back to one thing: he couldn't live with that. Settled on his decision, he swallowed to wet his drying throat, and turned his head so his eyes peeled away from the ceiling and landed on Corrina.
"I don't think I can hide anything from anyone," he admitted. "If they decide to quit, that's their decision. I don't think I could live with myself in the German's warnings are right, and I didn't do anything about it." His hand curled around the journal that had been flung on the bed. "You can, though. You're definitely way stronger in your mental fortitude than I am, so, if you wanna take the journal and not tell anyone else right away, I won't stop you."
He acknowledged her story with a weak smile, thunking his head back against the mattress and returning his stare upwards towards the ceiling. That one moment, that journal, changed everything. No matter what the contents contained, it wouldn't change his decision, but he'd seen uncertainty on the faces of a few others. It could very well be enough to change the mind's of others. They'd already lost the cook. What if they lost someone else with vital importance? He doubted the archeologist would step away, but the doctor? Security? Cartographer?
"I don't like secrets," he admitted. "And there are secrets everywhere." [/hr]
