by Liandra Jake
Arend frowned. He glanced down at her. "Next time, tell me that first."
[X]
Noir found Kronth outside Dragon's Den an hour after her return with Arend. She quickly walked up before anyone else could approach her. Kronth was surprised to see her. "Yes? Did you need something?"
Noir nodded. "It's a bit of a sensitive subject though."
Kronth stood up. "I've got an appointment in the Nest I have to get to; we can talk on the way."
Kronth opened the door to the lobby and Noir followed her down to the spiraling staircase. Kronth leaned against the wall just before the sharp curve that would bring her into view of the Nest. "Well?"
"Weren't we…?" Noir trailed off.
"No. I don't like to walk and talk when discussing something someone thinks is important." Kronth replied.
"Well… Simply put, Hunter has feelings for Arend." Noir said.
Lightning's head poked around the corner from outside the staircase. "Really? Never figured he'd swing that way."
Noir and Kronth flinched. "What are you doing out there?" Kronth demanded.
"I don't think that's important right now." Lightning replied.
Kronth glanced over at Noir. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"
"I heard it directly from his mouth." Noir replied.
Kronth sighed. "This holds greater impact than you think. I know about your advances on Arend and Flake's initial feelings towards him. You know how that turned out. Arend is loyal, and his sexuality isn't in question. If Arend doesn't know beforehand that Hunter has never shown any kind of feeling like this to another person, he might crush what little Hunter has out of him and force him back into that shell. We need to find someone who knows Hunter more personally."
"Starlik." Lightning said simply. "He grew up with Hunter and the two are very close. I think he's the first one Hunter would confide in before confessing his feelings."
Kronth nodded. "It would be best for him to give Hunter a head's up."
Lighting swung in over the railing. "I know where to find him. I'll let him know what's going down.
Kronth turned to Noir as Lighting disappeared up into Dragon's Den. "All we can do now is wait. Arend forgot to charge his phone, and he's taking a little time to himself in his room."
[X]
Lighting found Starlik in a mall corner coffee shop that doubled as a directory. He was the only one, looking for the next place to book for the band.
"Yo!" Lightning called as she entered the store. "
What's up?" Starlik asked as he glanced up from the computer. Lightning sat down next to him.
"It's about Hunter." Starlik fully turned towards Lighting. His stare was stoic and judging.
"Is he in trouble?" He asked.
Lighting shook her head. "It's nothing like that. It's a bit more personal."
"Well?"
"I have reason to believe he has feelings for Arend."
Starlik frowned. It was the first time Lighting had seen such a significant change in his face. "A Sereph named Noir overheard him talking to someone. I overheard when she told Kronth. She said talking to you would be a good idea."
Starlik nodded. "I get it. Kronth's a smart one. I'll break it to Hunter as gently as I can. I'll finish here and go find him. We don't want him running off and confessing before we get the chance to talk."
There was a crash by the door. Isaac glanced back at Lighting and Starlik, the chair he knocked over in the middle of the walkway.
"You're that jerkoff I kicked into the street!" Lightning exclaimed.
"Thanks for the dirt on Hunter!" He said with a little wave before running out the door.
"Damn him!" Lighting exclaimed. "I'll ring his tiny little neck…"
"Calm down." Starlik said. "He won't talk to Arend or Hunter. He'll most likely bug Kronth with it."
Lighting stormed out. "I won't let him!"
[X]
Isaac hurried to find a quick way to the Nest. He hopped a few taped-off turnstiles of an abandoned subway station and followed the tracks. He knew the trains well enough to time them and could easily use the scattered discontinued stations to get around quickly. He never worried about getting caught since there were service tunnels every thousand feet he could duck into.
He reached the station in the Nest only ten minutes after eavesdropping on Lighting and Starlik. He was also thrilled to have found the women he was looking for. He had his hopes he could worm his way into getting her interested, but it would take a great deal of finesse that he knew he possessed.
Isaac knew where to find Kronth. She was reviewing papers in the lobby of the Guildmaster's building instead of in her office. She wasn't happy to see him strut up with a wide smile.
"What do you want?" Kronth asked with a tired look. "Don't you think you should go on a Request or something already?"
He sat in the chair next to her. It though it better not to put his arm on her chair. "I heard Hunter's hungry for a little Pendragon." Isaac said with a smirk.
"First, shut the hell up, second, Arend isn't 'little.'" Kronth replied absently as she continued to work.
Isaac frowned. "So you're still as easy as ever."
Kronth's head snapped to Isaac, dropping the papers she was holding. "Shut. Up. NOW."
"Oh ho ho! It seems I struck a chord. So no sex, just a little fun?"
Kronth stood up and slammed her hands down on the desk at the same time. "SHUT UP ISSAC!"
"OH! So we're yelling now!? Are you ashamed of sleeping with anyone and everyone!?"
Kronth's fists were turning white and she began to tremble. "E-enough."
"Are you going to cry now? I thought you were a tough little loud girl?"
A low rumble shook the air. "Isaac." Arend was standing a few steps past the door. Behind him, Lighting was partially regretting calling Juilio to get Arend involved.
"So the big man shows himself!" Isaac exclaimed."So tell me, does she do that thing with he-"
Before Arend could cut him off in whatever way he planned to, Lighting did it for him and caught Isaac's chin with her toe, sending him sprawling across the floor.
He chuckled as he spat blood onto the floor. "Be careful little lady, you'll start a Guild War if you don't apologize."
Lighting let out a single laugh. "I'm not in a Guild. And even if I was, I don't know anyone who would have a problem with what I just did." She glanced sideways at Arend. "I suggest you crawl away before he finishes what I started."
"He wouldn't dare do anything." Isaac laughed as he stood. "If I really wanted, I could kill him." Arend walked forward.
"Hey!" Lighting exclaimed.
Arend held up a hand. "I won't kill him. I promise."
"If you did, Dragon's Den would disown you." Isaac said as he walked nose-to-nose with Arend. "So what will you do? Plan on intimidating me with…" Isaac trailed off and took a few steps back.
He wiped blood off his face from a thin cut down his forehead. "When did-?"
"When I raised my hand." Arend replied.
"But-?"
"I didn't need to use Orenth." Arend said quietly. "…Still think you can kill me?" Isaac turned and hurried out the door, fear evident in his rushed footsteps.
Lighting cautiously approached Arend. "How did you do that?"
Arend gave her a short glance. "I lied." He turned away to approach Kronth.
He reached out for her hand, bus she shirked away. "Kronth…"
"No Arend. I need some time alone right now." Kronth turned to walk out the door. Arend snagged her arm and pulled her tight against her chest.
"Not about this." He said softly.
She waited a few seconds before shoving him back with a jerk. "Leave me alone Arend." She said as she walked away. Arend waited until she walked out the door before collapsing into her chair and hanging his head in his hands.
Starlik had walked in just in time to see Kronth shove Arend away. He shared an awkward look with Lighting as they tried to f
ind something they could say. Hunter's hurried footsteps echoed in the deafening silence. He tapped Starlik on the shoulder.
"I saw what happened. I was doing some paperwork with Kronth's secretary. I can handle this." He gave Starlik his phone. "Could you let Flake know I may be late for our date? You'll have to go through Maeil to reach him." Hunter left them with confused looks as he walked over to Arend.
"Hey Korvan boy, I have a place I'd like o show you." Hunter said. Arend looked up. Hunter held out a hand. "C'mon. It's less public than this place." Arend let Hunter help him to his feet and said nothing as Hunter retrieved his phone. Lighting and Starlik discussed Hunter's "date" as they secretly followed.
[X]
Arend and Hunter were sitting side-by-side below the clock face of a large clock tower in the north-eastern section of the city. Starlik, Noir, Flake, and Lighting were watching from a cramped trapdoor in the clock face. It was partially hidden by the clock's hour hand.
"I lived in this area since I was a child. I always like this clock tower and when I joined Dragon's Den and the band really kicked it off, I moved to renovate and make it a landmark. Technically, I still own the rights to it." Hunter explained.
Arend didn't say anything. He stared down at the city with a stoic face. Hunter's smile faded and he began to fidget with the masonry next to him. 'I guess he's really worried about Kronth. I'm surprised he let Isaac go so easily after he said such cruel things.' Hunter looked back at Arend.
He sighed internally. 'This could never work out. I can't break the bond he shares with Kronth. I'll feel this way for a while, but I need to at least tell him how I feel.'
Hunter took a quiet breath. Before he could say anything, Arend spoke. "What do you think about our relationship? Me and Kronth I mean." Arend looked over at Hunter. "I mean really, do you think it could work out?"
Hunter blinked a few times then thought for a moment. "I think…" Hunter shook his head. "You are a good couple. I'm sure of that.
"You need someone strong enough reach and ground you up in that ignorant head of yours, and she needs someone who throws wrenches in things occasionally and forces her to loosen up a bit. You're both loud in your own ways; You in your actions, and her rather literally. Kronth's experienced and knows what she wants, and she wants you. I'm sure the chemistry of it all, but metaphorically, she's the 'master' to your 'beast'… If you want to consider it like that. You just worked, from day one. I can't really see you two with anyone else."
A faint smile crept onto Arend' face. "Thanks."
"No problem. The truth is the truth." Hunter said with a smile in return. Starlik and the other eavesdroppers grimaced.
"That's just bad." Noir whispered.
"I don't think I need to talk to him. He seems to understand his position well." Starlik replied.
"Kinda too late on that. Do you think he'll cave again?" Noir asked.
"Forty on no." Starlik said, holding up a wad of Ere.
"Forty on yes." Noir replied.
"I'm going double on yes and that Arend does something ridiculous." Lighting whispered, holding up eighty Ere.
"I'm not betting on something like this!" Flake whispered with a disapproving tone.
"Then you can hold the money!" Starlik replied as the three of them shoved the Ere into his hands. They stopped fidgeting as Hunter spoke.
"Hey Arend, want to see something cool?" Hunter asked, standing up.
"What is it?" Arend asked as he and Hunter walked to a small side door to the left of the clock face.
"It's what they did to fix the clock." Hunter replied as he pushed open the door. Starlik and the others flipped in the small space and crawled out to peek through the tarp on the floor that would still hide them.
"Hey!" Starlik whispered. "Whose hand is that? Stop it!"
"Sorry." Lighting replied, shifting.
"…It's still there."
They glanced over at Noir. "Not sorry." Noir replied as Starlik removed her hand.
"Then was I touching…?" Lighting asked.
They glanced at Noir again. "Like I said, not sorry." Noir replied.
Arend whistled at the room-sized mechanism made of cogs, rods, and gears. "Is it entirely mechanized?" He asked.
"Yep. Every bell, click, and grind is powered by a single electric steam engine that runs almost constantly." Hunter replied.
"Hmm. So Hunter," Arend began, leaning against a beam. "What's been distracting you lately?"
"Nothing." Hunter replied rather quickly.
"Then why haven't you been wearing you headphones?" Arend asked, tapping his ear.
"I don't want to offend any of the new recruits by making it seem like I was ignoring them." 'Damn it! How could I make a mistake like that!?'
Arend shook his head. "I don't believe it could be that simple."
"Well it is." Hunter replied.
Arend stepped forward and poked his face. "Nope. Tell me."
"I did." Hunter said.
Arend poked his face again. "Stop!" Hunter exclaimed.
"Not until you tell me!" Arend exclaimed as he put Hunter in a headlock.
"Stop it Arend!" Hunter exclaimed as he wiggled in Arend's grasp.
"Tell me Hunter!" Arend replied.
Hunter shoved him off. "NO!" Hunter threw his hand over his mouth. Arend smiled. Hunter shook his head back and forth rapidly.
Before Hunter could escape, Arend tackled him and pinned him to the floor. He sat on his chest with his knees on Hunter's arms. "Tell me. You know I won't tell anyone."
Hunter smirked. Using his legs, he twisted his body under Arend and threw him off, rolling free and tackling Arend in turn with his arm trapped underneath him. He pushed down with one hand in the center of Arend' back and the other on Arend' free arm, pinning Arend' knees to the floor with his own. Arend started to struggle, but stopped suddenly.
Starlik and the others watched Hunter's face slowly turn red and fall back as Arend slipped out from under him. "What happened?" Flake asked.
"I think hunter got a little too excited." Lighting said with a wiggling eyebrow.
Flake simply nodded. Arend sat up. Hunter sat with his legs crossed and his arms crossed awkwardly on top of them.
Hunter sighed. "I was hoping to be able to tell you when I wanted to, but I guess I've got no choice to explain now. Truth be told, these feelings also caught me off-guard; I'm not sure why exactly, but I have feelings for you. I've been trying to figure it out and exactly why they decided to choose you to emerge for the first time. I've talked with Flake a little, and I'm hoping that would pan out for me, though I don't know how I'll deal with the fur quite yet."
"You do know there's no way in hell this," Arend motioned between him Hunter. "Could ever work out?"
Hunter frowned a little. "Damn. Could you be a little more blunt about it?"
"It's not a matter of being blunt; I'm not gay." Arend replied.
"Do I hear a little hostility? Does my interest offend you?" Hunter asked.
"No. It's just true." Arend replied.
"…Are you unsettled with the idea of two men kissing?" Hunter asked slowly.
Arend sighed and got to his feet. He walked over to Hunter and lifted him up by the collar. "Arend, What are you-"
Arend silenced Hunter with a quick kiss. Dropping the now dazed Hunter, Arend stepped back and glanced down. He looked back up at Hunter. "Nothing. Like I said: I'm not gay."
"Maybe next time Hunter will ask if he's unsettled by two men having sex." Noir chuckled.
"YES!" Lighting exclaimed, starling everyone. She snatched her money from the frozen Flake. "Two hundred and forty easy Ere!" She stopped as Flake, Noir, and Starlik rushed to squeeze out the trapdoor. She gave Arend and Hunter a nervous wave before hurrying after them.
"Well." Arend said with a slouch. "She could at least buy us dinner."
"I think you're overlooking the crazy ass thing you just did." Hunter said as he stood up and brushed himself off.
"
All mouth, there were no asses involved." Arend replied. "It still worked though."