Chapter Text
Waterdeep University, no matter who you ask, they’ll tell you it’s the most prestigious school in the Sword Coast. Boasting top-notch academic programs, High-end facilities and a high graduation rate; getting accepted into the university fast-tracked you into the high life upon graduation. However, to some students, this is only possible if they keep a passing grade and keep themselves out of trouble. If they do not meet these standards, they can quickly find themselves being forced to leave the school. One such student by the name of Gruff Sharptooth currently finds himself in that position.
Gruff, a seven foot tall Half-Orc with short black hair, was currently sitting across from the university’s headmaster, Vajra Safahr, who did not look pleased with him.
“Gruff,” the dark skinned Turami woman said sternly, “When you were enrolled in the university you were told you needed to do two things to keep your scholarship, can you please tell me what they were?”
Gruff thought for a moment, “Keep my grades up and stay out of trouble?”
“Yes, but it seems you’re having trouble keeping those rules. From your current records your grades are passable, but just barely. That in and of itself isn’t enough to warrant a visit to my office though. Would you like to tell me why you’re here?”
Gruff tried to look anywhere but at the headmaster, but her gaze held fast and he couldn’t help but cower a bit, “Fighting people off campus?”
Vajra nodded, “Not only fighting people, but fighting people most would consider “unsavory”. Since you’ve a reputation for how well you perform at your wrestling tournaments, that means you need to hold yourself to the same standards in public as you do here.” Vajra, who’d been sitting in her chair, stood and made her way over to Gruff, leaning against the front of her desk with her arms crossed, striking an imposing manner despite the half-Orc dwarfing her by over a foot in stature. “Now since you are a valuable asset to this school, being one of our top contenders in tournaments I’ve been lenient with your behavior up till now, but if this behavior continues I will have to revoke your full-ride athletic scholarship.”
Gruff turned his head to look at the floor, “I’m sorry ma’am.”
Vajra sighed, “It’s not a punishment I care to doll out Gruff, but you knew the rules when your family came here to discuss your acceptance.”
Gruff didn’t say anything, just kept looking at the floor.
Vajra sighed again, before walking to the window behind her desk. Looking out over the university grounds she smiled, “Fortunately, I believe I’ve found a solution that might solve both problems.”
Gruff sat up, frankly thankful she wasn’t outright kicking him out.
Vjara continued, “For the first problem, I’ve assigned you a tutor, she’s currently the top student in academics and has helped quite a few students around campus, in fact she’s currently outside my office waiting for you after our meeting is over to begin your first session.”
Gruff scowled a bit, not enjoying the fact he’d been assigned someone who might not understand why he has problems understanding the material, but he knew better than to argue with the headmaster, “What about the second?”
“For the problem of you getting into fights, I’ve decided to add another extracurricular to your schedule, the drama club.”
Gruff laughed a bit, thinking she was joking, but quickly stopped when he didn’t hear her join him, “Wait, are you serious?”
“Quite serious in fact. If you can’t be trusted to use your own time effectively, then I’m more than willing to give you something to fill it. The club meets after school every day, but with the exception of a few dates, attendance is not mandatory, so it will not conflict with your wrestling practice. However, seeing as your team meets only three times a week, I do expect you to be there the other two days. I will be checking with the club’s teacher Mr. Neverember every other week to make sure you’re following through.”
Gruff slumped in his seat knowing there was no changing her mind.
Vajra turned towards Gruff, “This is not a permanent arrangement, if by the end of the next performance your grades have improved and the number of reported incidents have gone down, you will once again be free to do as you wish. So do we have an agreement?”
Gruff thought it over, he didn’t really enjoy the thought of joining the club or even getting a tutor, but he also knew he was on thin ice with the school and it’d break his mom's heart if he had to quit because of something he was being given help for. He looked at the headmaster, “I don’t like it, but I’ll do it.”
Vajra smiled, “I’m glad to hear it. You may leave, I do hope to hear good things over the next few weeks.”
Gruff stood up and grabbed his bag, then left the office. He glanced around the lobby he was now in and noticed someone he hadn’t when he’d come in earlier, a High Elf with white skin and crimson red hair, looking through a textbook. Figuring that was his new tutor he made his way over to her. Once he was close enough he called out to her, “I’m assuming you’re my new tutor?”
The girl looked up from the book and seeing who was coming towards her closed it and stuffed it in her bag, “Ah yes I believe I am, you certainly match the description the headmaster gave me,” finishing with her bag the girl stood up. She held her hand out to Gruff, “Feru’ma Crim, pleased to meet you.”
Gruff gave her a quick once over, her clothes were well kept and the supplies he had seemed to be a bit pricey and with the way she talked he guessed she was nobility of some kind. Gruff scoffed a bit at this knowledge then took her hand in his own, “Gruff Sharptooth.”
If Feru’ma noticed him scoff she didn’t act like it and continued talking to him, “So from my understanding, I’m being brought in to help you boost your grades and will be doing so every study hall hour until it is deemed by the headmaster my services are no longer required.”
“Okay.”
Feru’ma clapped her hands together, “Splendid, now shall we relocate to the library?”
“Lead the way I guess.”
Feru’ma turned on her heel and began to lead the way to the library. Gruff watched her go and looked up, praying to Umberlee he’d get through this without losing his mind, then followed after her.
Notes:
So there it is, first chapter in the books. I hope to put a new chapter out every two weeks, but I know writer's block can be an absolute bitch so I'm not counting on it.
Either way, please leave any comments and criticisms and hopefully I'll see you in two weeks.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Notes:
The fact I even made my personal deadline is a win in and of itself. Either way, hope you enjoy the chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jhison Benevill, a Human male with dark brown hair and gold eyes, was incredibly bored. His Meteorology teacher, Mrs. Blymah, was going on about weather patterns and the like and he just couldn’t bring himself to care. He only took the class because he’d put off his science credits for too long and didn’t want to deal with the consequences, but he thought it’d at least be interesting. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t and not only that, it was the last class before his theater class so its status as the worst thing in his life was, while unreasonable, justified in his mind.
He glanced at the clock on the wall, five more minutes before he could leave. He blew a small raspberry, and attempted to pay attention, only to fail after about ten seconds. His teacher was enthusiastic, but unfortunately the topic just didn’t interest him, instead he turned his thoughts to the drama club. They’d been told yesterday by Mr. Neverember that they’d get to know which production they’d be performing today and Jhison could hardly contain himself from asking then and there. He’d been cast as the lead for the club performance’s for a few years now, so the anticipation of getting to perform again made it hard for him to contain himself.
Suddenly he was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the bell. Jhison sighed in relief, quickly putting his textbook away and shouldering his bag he just about raced to his destination, the medical sciences wing of the school. Arriving at the wing he parked himself outside one of the classrooms, quickly scanning around to see if she’d gotten out of class before he’d arrived. His silent question was answered when his vision was obscured by a pair of hands.
“Guess who, Starlight?”
Jhison smirked, “Well seeing as I’m standing outside Kesta’s class and this person just called me by Kesta’s nickname for me, I’m going to guess….Nith.”
His vision returned as he felt a light smack on the shoulder not carrying his bag, “Keep that up mister and see if I walk to class with you anymore,” the voice said chuckling. Turning around he saw who the voice belonged to, a white haired Kalashtar wearing a golden spindle necklace alongside a silver bullet necklace, who he knew very well to be Kesta.
Jhison pouted, “You’d make your boyfriend walk to his class alone?”
Kesta smirked, “No, but only because it’s on my way to my next class and I know you’d die without my company.” With that Kesta turned around and began to walk to her next class, Jhison walking to her right with their hands intertwined.
“How was class anyways?” Jhison asked.
“Not too terrible, but it’s still quite tiring,” Kesta leaned against Jhison, “Remind me again why I decided to go to school for Nursing?”
“Because you’re a good person who wants to help sick people, no matter the personal cost?”
“Right, knew it was something,” She stood upright again, “What about you?”
“Same old same old, Mrs. Blymah going on about the weather and the outer atmospheres and me tuning everything out to stay sane enough for theater.”
“You know you really need to start paying attention, if you’re not careful your grade in that class will drop and neither of us wants that.”
“You would think that given it’s a meteorology class you’d praise me for having my head In the clouds. Besides, why pay attention to Mrs. Blymah when I can have you explain it to me in your soothing voice?”
Kesta blushed a bit, “Because it’s not my job to explain it to you, I have my own work to do too you know?”
Jhison sighed dramatically, “Very well, I suppose I’ll attempt to pay attention, if only to ease your burdens my Silver Bullet.”
Kesta chuckled, “Speaking of your theater class, you’re supposed to learn what the next performance the club will be putting on today, right?”
Jhison nodded, “Correct, I hope it’s a horror play honestly, been on a bit of a horror kick recently so I hope the play can scratch that itch.”
“I’ll always be a sucker for a good romance play, you and Savah really nail those romantic moments.”
“You know, if you ever want to do those your-”
“Oh no you don’t,” Kesta said, cutting him off, “You know I have no business being on stage, painting the sets and going over your lines with you is more than enough for me.”
Jhison chuckled, “I’m just saying, if you ever get jealous of Savah you’re more than welcome to attempt to take her place.”
Kesta scoffed, “Please, that girl has leagues more talent and besides,” she said, bringing up their entwined hands, “I claimed you years ago when I put that ring on your finger.”
Indeed the blackbanded promise ring with opal colored diamonds Kesta had given to him two years ago sat prominently on his ring finger.
Jhison smiled slightly, “That you did,” he said, bringing their hands down again, “Is there any way I could convince you to at least audition?”
“Nope, I’m more than content to watch you from the crowd.”
Jhison sighed, “Very well.”
The conversation at that point died out and they continued their walk in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. It didn’t take long for them to reach Kesta’s next class and they said their farewells, Jhison leaning down to give her a quick kiss which Kesta happily returned. With that Jhison moved on towards his favorite place at the University; the Theatre Hall.
Three stories tall, the hall boasted a large stage as well as seating for up to 2,500 people with the second and third floors used for classrooms, costume storage and many other necessities. Jhison entered the building and quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor where his class was. Entering the classroom he quickly scanned the room, looking for the school’s queen of information and gossip, Savah. He found her sitting in the center of the room, fitting as the Yuan-ti enjoyed being the center of attention. He quickly made his way over to her calling out her name.
Turning to see who was calling her, Savah smiled, “Ah Jhison, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Just wanted to talk, see how you were doing.”
Savah chuckled, smirking, “Jhison dear, if you’re going to bullshit me, at least be clever about it.”
Jhison chuckled as well, “Straight to the point then, any chance you happen to know which performance we’ll be doing?”
Savah shook her head, like a mother would to her child, “Jhison darling, even if I did know, which I don’t; why on earth would I tell you when Mr. Neverember’s going to be divulging that information today?”
Jhison shrugged, “Maybe because we’ve been excellent co-star’s who play well off of each other?”
Savah laughed, “Darling, while that may be true, it’s so much more fun to watch you squirm. You won’t get it out of me, so I suggest you go and sit down, class will start soon anyways.”
Jhison sighed in defeat, “Very well, see if I come to you for info again.”
Savah got out a quick, “You will,” before Jhison made his way to his seat. Sitting down and seeing there was a few more minutes before class he scanned the room seeing who all was in the class today.
Gray was joining them today, the Human switching between them and his Criminology class, so that was a welcome sight. Nith and Meran were talking quietly near the front of the class, the Cosmetology girlfriends seemingly excited at the prospect of getting to use their skills again, Nith shape changing into a few makeup techniques she and the Human hoped to utilize, with Macy sitting near them, the Halfling girl looking mildly annoyed. Then there was Illusandra, sitting near Savah having what seemed to be a mild chat with each other. Illusandra was a Human he could never get a proper read from, she was friendly enough to the rest of the class and club, flirty with a few including himself, but she seemed to have a dark side that lent itself well to the villains she often got cast as, making it very hard for Jhison to parse her true intentions at times. There were a few others in the class, but no-one he particularly paid attention to.
Those thoughts were quickly put to the side as Mr. Neverember entered the classroom, the class quieting almost immediately.
“Good afternoon everyone, I trust you all are on pins and needles after yesterday’s announcement,” he paused, getting a few affirmatives, “well unfortunately I’m going to have to keep you in suspense for a little longer. Before I tell you the production, I want to go over the audition process since I have a feeling that some of you might zone out once I say the name.” He looked over a few student’s in the class, though he seemed to look pointedly at Jhison.
He turned toward the whiteboard and began writing on it, “So here’s how we’re doing this, class time these next few days will be taken up by your personal auditions, with open auditions being held during club time over the next week. What I want from this class specifically when each of you audition is your top three characters, a short monologue, as well as a song from the show featuring your top choice. During open auditions I want each of you to write down three strengths and weaknesses the person exhibited during their performance. I’ll be taking those into consideration as I choose who makes the cut and who doesn't as well as characters.”
When Mr. Neverember finished writing, the major bullet points were on the board, “I want all of you to write that down or at least take a picture of it before I move on,”he said, turning around. He paused as the class did as he asked. After a few minutes he began speaking again, “With that I will say that this performance has a small named character list, so getting one of those parts will be cutthroat, most of the people who audition will be placed as ensemble so make sure to bring your A game.”
Mr. Neverember smiled, “With that, I believe it is time for the moment you’ve all been looking forward to. If I may have a drumroll please?” At his command the students began drumming on top of their desks and laps, “The show we’ll be performing is…Jekyll and Hyde!”
Jhison gasped, in a matter of seconds his mind was racing, the show he’d been in love with all his life, the one that spoke to him the most, the one that set him on the path to acting, he couldn’t help himself, he got out of his chair, arms raised high above his head, and yelled out “YES!”
For him, this was the greatest day of his life.
Notes:
Thanks for reading and hopefully I'll see you in two weeks.
Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Notes:
Alright, keeping the streak going. Fun fact, this chapter was written the day after the last one was published, which doesn't happen very often for me.
As always, thanks to our DM for being a very helpful Beta, and to my fellow players for giving me so much material to work with.
I do hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Raenar Neverember had grown used to students being excited hearing they were doing certain play’s, but Jhison’s reaction to the news was still quite a tone shift considering he was one of the quieter students, still it brought a smile to Raenar’s face seeing him so excited. He’d known, of course, that this play was Jhison’s favorite and honestly he was just as excited at getting the chance to direct it, getting the rights to perform the show had been a very uphill battle, but he knew it was worth it. Although, the fact Jhison hadn’t sat down yet, even though the class had laughed at his reaction, which should have brought him back to where he was, was a tad concerning.
“Jhison? You can sit down now.”
Nothing, it didn’t seem like he’d even heard him. Raener walked over to Jhison’s desk and waved his hand in front of his face, snapping his fingers when that didn’t elicit a response.
“Oh dear, I think we lost him,” that got another laugh out of the students, Raenar chuckling a little himself, “Can someone sit him down for me? School policy and all that, I don’t think he’ll be coming back to us for a while.”
Raenar returned to the front of the class as Savah came over and returned Jhison to his chair, facing the class and leaning on his desk once he had, “That right there is why I told you all the information before the name. I don’t know how many of you know this, but Jekyll and Hyde is Jhison’s favorite play.”
“No, really? Could’ve fooled us.” Macy spoke up, getting a laugh out of the rest of the class.
Raenar chuckled, “Indeed. Well, while we wait for Jhison to return to us, I’d like to go over the general plot of the production as well as the prominent characters so you can all get an idea of who you might want to audition for.”
Raenar stood and walked to the white board, picking up the eraser to wipe it clean, turning before he did, “I know I gave everyone a chance earlier, but does anyone still need to get this down before I erase it?'' When everyone answered “no” he erased what he’d already written and picked up his marker.
“Alright,” he said, turning around, “Besides the obvious one, who here has seen, heard of, or read about this play before?” Only Savah, Illusandra, Gray and Nith raised their hands, “Okay a few of you, that’s good. So who wants to tell me how the story starts?”
Illusandra spoke up, “Dr. Henry Jekyll’s father is checked into a mental hospital after falling into a coma, with Dr. Jekyll believing the cause to be the evil in his father’s soul. Dr. Jekyll then begins his research into the good and evil of men’s souls and how to separate them, leading to the creation of the HJ7 formula, a chemical believed by Jekyll to separate the good and evil parts of a person and allow the person to destroy the evil within them. However, once he brings these findings to the Board of Governors, asking for a human subject from the asylum for further testing, they essentially rip him a new one, calling his research ‘Blasphemous’, ‘Heresy’ and ‘Playing God’, and refusing to do so.”
Raener nodded, finishing up writing what Illusandra was saying on the board, “Indeed, so before we go further, what are some themes we can pull from these opening scenes?”
Gray spoke up, “Basic ‘Good vs. Evil’ story”
Raenar nodded, putting that under Illusandra’s description of the opening scenes, “Little more than ‘basic’, but yes ‘Good vs Evil’ is definitely the core of this story, anything else?”
Macy, “Seems this Jekyll guy has a bit of a god complex and a savior complex.”
Raenar nodded, “Not quite to the same extreme as other stories, but they’re both definitely there.” He put Macy’s words right next to Gray’s. Turning back to the class he spoke up, “Anyone else?” When no one spoke up he spoke again, “Alright, how about we talk real quick about the Board, I don’t want to get too philosophical right now so let’s make this quick. Raise your hands if you think the Board was right to reject Jekyll.” A few students, Including Nith and Macy, raised their hands, “And who thinks they should have let Jekyll test his formula?” The rest of the class raised their hands, “Alright, seems more people here think they should have let him do his experiment. I’ll take one person on each side to explain their viewpoint, then we’ll continue. Macy, how about you represent the ‘Shouldn’t have’ side?”
Macy began to speak, “It’s glaringly obvious he’s messing with things he doesn't understand due to his grief over his father. There’s no guarantee the formula will work and even if it does, what happens if instead of the ‘Good’ side winning the ‘Evil’ does? He clearly hasn’t planned for that and honestly I agree with the Board, he’s playing God and I think we all know what happens when someone does that.”
Raenar nodded, “Thank you Macy,” Macy smirked and sat down, “Now for our sympathizers. Illusandra, would you be so kind?”
Illusandra nodded, “Honestly Macy’s right on a lot of points, but the thing is, he’s not asking to immediately begin handing it out to everyone, he’s asking for someone who’s fate has already been sealed for further testing. As immoral as it might be to do human experimentation, it’s not like he’s asking for someone innocent and I think the Board should have been more lenient on what they consider to be ‘Heresy’ as it were.”
Raenar smiled, glad to see his students thinking critically about the topic, “Thank you Illusandra, Now you both brought valid points to the table and if you so choose you’re more than welcome to continue the conversation outside of the class, but for now let’s continue on. Gray, would you please pick up where Illusandra left off?”
Gray nodded, “Later that evening we’re brought to a party held by Sir Danvers Carew, one of Jekyll’s benefactors and his future father-in-law. The party is the engagement party of Dr. Jekyll and Emma/Lisa Carew.”
Raenar interrupted, “We’ll be using Emma for this production, please continue Gray.”
“There’s a lot of gossip going around, most of it being about how Emma is marrying a ‘madman’ and the men of the party bemoaning the fact Emma chose Jekyll over them. One such man is Simon Stride, a man who has a seat on the aforementioned Board alongside Sir Danvers. Stride was once courting Emma, but she didn’t reciprocate his feelings and left him. Stride attempts to dissuade Emma from marrying Jekyll, but Emma shuts him down, saying she feels like she can be who she wants to around Jekyll. Jekyll arrives before the scheduled fireworks and shares a quick moment with Emma, Emma saying that no matter how busy with work he get’s, she’ll always be by his side. Jekyll then takes his leave, Sir Danvers coming in at the same time, expressing his worry to Emma that Jekyll puts too much into his work and not enough into his relationship with Emma. Emma tells him not to worry, that Jekyll has always taken care of her.”
Raenar decided to cut off Gray there, “Thank you Gray, so it seems there’s a bit of trouble in Emma’s paradise, most of it coming from the man she’s set to marry. Not much to talk about here, so let’s continue on. Savah, would you be so kind?”
Savah smiled as she began, “After leaving the engagement party Jekyll and his best friend, John Utterson, head to a gentlemen's club called ‘The Red Rat’ for Jekyll’s bachelor party. There we meet Lucy Harris, a lady of the night who performs at ‘The Red Rat’. She’s arriving late and a fellow performer warns her the club’s boss, Spider, isn't too pleased. She brushes it off and gets ready for her performance. She does her thing, getting the attention of Dr. Jekyll and afterwards, while speaking with the clientele, Spider comes up to her, striking her across the face and threatening to kill her if she’s late again,” Savah sighs, “Seems like a bad business move to me honestly, what with her face probably being what attracts her customers in the first place, but I digress. Jekyll sees what Spider does and approaches Lucy, asking if she’s alright. She says she’s fine and they strike up a conversation, Jekyll saying her performance helped him to find the answer he was looking for. With that, Jekyll collects Utterson and the two leave. Jekyll confides in Utterson that he’s found a subject for his experiment and Utterson tells him he should go to bed before doing anything rash. However Jekyll doesn’t listen and sends his butler Poole away for the night descending the stairs to his laboratory.”
Raenar cuts off Savah, “Thank you Savah, Nith, if you would be so kind as to continue.”
Nith shrinks in her seat a bit, not enjoying all the eyes on her, but then begins to speak, “U-um, so Jekyll goes to his lab and makes the formula. Getting out his journal, he begins to record what he does, since he’s decided to use himself as the subject.” Nith gets a small grin on her face and begins to shapeshift her body into a lean man, aged around 25, with shoulder length brown hair, standing up once the transformation is complete, “After taking the serum he waits for it to take effect and once it does it transforms him,” Nith’s form begins to shift again, though not as drastically. Her fingers, once long and well kept, now resemble claws with sharp fingernails, her hair has grown a little longer and her posture a little more animalistic, “Into Edward Hyde, his dark side. He goes into the night and meets with Lucy, who rejects his advances to a point. Afterwards Jekyll keeps trying the serum, trying to gain control over Hyde, but he fails every time and Hyde begins killing the members of the Board of Governors. Eventually, with the death of Lucy after Jekyll gives her enough money to leave town, he decides the only way to end the nightmare of Hyde is to kill himself. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on who you ask, he survives and is put in the asylum. Emma works with him, eventually able to bring him back to his senses and Jekyll is released. On their wedding day however, Hyde makes a triumphant return, but Jekyll is able to regain control long enough to throw himself on Sir Danvers’ sword, bringing the play to its dramatic end.”
With that Nith began to shift back into her preferred form, a Human with pale skin and ruby red hair. The class applauded her as she did, Raenar joining them, and she blushed, not quite used to people praising her like that. Meran gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and it seemed to help Nith calm down.
“Excellent finale Nith, I must ask, the form you took for Jekyll and Hyde was very inspired, is it your own creation?”
Nith shook her head, “Uh n-no, I saw it in an animation series someone did for the production. It’s honestly what made me look up the rest of the play, it seemed interesting and I wanted to know how it ended since the artist stopped at ‘Confrontation’.”
“Well it was impressive all the same, I do wish you’d audition for the performance Nith.”
Nith shook her head rapidly, “N-no thank you. I-I don’t think I could do what I did in front of lots of people, honestly doing it here scared me, but I trusted that you guys wouldn’t laugh.”
The class ‘aww’ed at that, Nith was a very shy girl, but a master at makeup work and a lot of the class saw her as a younger sister.
“Well, with our synopsis taken care of, and with class about to let out, let’s see if Jhison has come back to us yet.”
Everyone giggled, turning to see if Jhison had come back from la-la land, and to their amusement he hadn’t. His arms were still raised above his head and the ear-to-ear grin still hadn’t faded.
“You know I probably shouldn’t encourage this as a teacher, but everyone take a picture, that is the face of a man who’s been given everything he could want in life.”
The class laughed as they did just that, some of them going as far as posing next to him just to see if it would make him react, but no matter what he didn’t come out of his own little world. Once the class finished having their fun, Raenar turned to look at them, “Any ideas on how to get him out of there?”
Gray spoke up, “We could get some cold water to splash on him.”
“That’s probably the most effective, but I don’t want water all over my class if we can help it, we’ll do that if we can’t think of anything else.”
Savah spoke up, giggling as she did, “We could call Kesta, let her kiss him awake.” The class fell over themselves laughing at that one. It was no secret among the class or the drama club how much Jhison cared for Kesta and it was often a source of teasing for the rest of the class.
Raenar chuckled, “I wouldn’t be opposed, anyone have her number?”
Nith spoke up, “I do, we traded numbers after a makeup session one time after school. Her skin tone was perfect for some shading techniques I wanted to try out,” she began to dial Kesta, and after a minute of ringing it seemed she had picked up, “Hey Kesta, it’s Nith…Oh I’m good, but we’ve got a situation over here, Jhison’s completely out of it…Well Mr. Neverember told us we’d be doing Jekyll and Hyde-,” Nith was interrupted by laughter on the other end of the phone, “I’m guessing you know what happened next? Yeah, so if you could come over here to help us out that’d be great…okay then, see you soon,” With that Nith put her phone away, “We got lucky, she was coming out of class when I called her, she’ll be here in a few minutes.”
Raener chuckled, “Well while we wait for the Star Goddess to break her champion out of his spell,” the class laughed, “Why don’t you guys use the rest of class time to think over what characters you might want to play, I’ll let you guys use your phones to look up the cast list and the play so you can make a more informed decision. I will say though, I wouldn’t bother trying out for Jekyll and Hyde, I think Jhison might fight anyone who does.” The class laughed again, though they didn’t think he was wrong either.
Raenar began to move towards his chair and after sitting down began to make a spreadsheet for auditions; names of students and characters being the main blocks. After a few minutes he heard a knock at his door, “Come in,” he said. With that, Kesta entered the room to a few giggles in the class, quickly scanning the room for her target. She grinned when she found Jhison, still not out of his reverie.
“Oh you got him good didn’t you sir?”
Raenar chuckled, “Not intentionally, though I must admit I’m impressed he’s been like this for so long.”
Kesta shook her head, still smiling, “Alright, I know you all want to see this, so gather around.”
With that, she made her way to where Jhison was, the rest of the class doing exactly as she said, a few with their phones out to record what was about to happen, “Alright, do you want a show or for me to just do it?”
Savah shouted out, “Give us a show darling!”
Kesta couldn’t stop smiling, “Very well then, camera’s rolling?” she received quite a few nods to her question, “Well let’s give him a good performance then.”
Kesta took a breath and willed her face to one of calm, “Alas, my champion of the stars, how unfortunate that joy has you so overtaken you do not even notice your Goddess standing before you,” the class tried to stifle their laughter, but what they were seeing was extremely funny to them, “It seems I’ve no choice but to awaken you with True Love’s Kiss.” With that, Kesta took Jhison’s face in her hands and planted a deep kiss on Jhison’s lips.
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Jhison knew two things; He was going to be the best Jekyll and Hyde the world had ever seen and that his lips felt extremely warm. It took him a minute, but soon enough he realized he was being kissed, though he didn’t quite know who it was and started to come out of his daydream, only to see Kesta right in front of him, her lips locked with his. He began to return the kiss, but realized that they were being watched by the rest of the class and quickly broke it.
“Um, my Silver Bullet, would you care to explain to me why we’re being watched by the rest of Mr. Neverember’s class, including Mr. Neverember?”
“Oh my champion, you’ve returned to your senses, truly a joyous day indeed.”
Jhison was confused, then his mind caught up with the rest of his body, “I zoned out didn’t I?”
Illusandra laughed, “Oh you did more than zone out, you were a statue, class is over dear.”
Jhison was shocked, then shock quickly turned to embarrassment. “I didn’t disrupt class did I?”
Mr. Neverember shook his head, “No Jhison, if anything you provided quite a bit of entertainment. I’d ask for a copy of those videos everyone took, but I think I’ll see them on social media soon enough.”
Savah spoke up, “Posted and I’ve already got a thousand like’s on it.”
“Well then, seems Kesta’s performance is a hit.”
Kesta was the one to blush now, “I’m glad you all enjoyed it.”
“Well then, I believe with that, the bell’s going to ring soon, so I’ll let you all go. Remember, in-class auditions begin tomorrow, make sure anyone you know in the class who wasn’t here today is made aware. I’ll be down for drama club in a minute, I’ve got a meeting I need to deal with, Jhison, will you let Ari know?”
Jhison nodded, picking up his bag and began to walk towards the door, Kesta by his side, “I’m really sorry they dragged you over here for this.”
“Don’t be, it was fun, plus I was getting out of class anyways. So Jekyll and Hyde huh?”
Jhison smiled widely, “The performance I’ve been waiting to be a part of. This is the greatest day of my life.”
Kesta smiled, “I’m glad you’ll finally get a chance to perform in it.”
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Raenar smiled, watching Jhison and Kesta leave with the rest of the class, this was going to be a performance to remember. He returned his attention back to his computer and began to continue his work. It was only a few minutes before he was interrupted again by a knock at his door. He got up to open the door and saw a tall Half-Orc with short black hair standing there, a High Elf with crimson red hair standing beside him, “Ah, you must be Gruff,” turning to the Elf he said, “Thank you for showing him the way Feru’ma, do get home safe alright?”
Feru’ma bowed, “Will do, have a good day Mr. Neverember.”
Raenar watched her leave, then turned to face Gruff, “Please come in, I’ve been expecting you.”
He allowed Gruff to enter, then shut the door behind him.
Notes:
So hopefully that was a good chapter and if you didn't know the plot of J&H before you do now. By the way, the animation series Nith talks about is a real thing and while it wasn't the first time I'd heard the story, it was the first time I'd heard any tacks from the musical so it's got a special place in my heart. The creator is S.K. Michales on YouTube if you want to see it for yourselves.
Alright with all that out of the way, thank you for reading and hopefully I'll see you in two weeks.
Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Notes:
Bit later than I'd like, but still keeping with my two week deadline so I'll call it a win. Thanks once again to our lovely DM for beta reading this. Also the math used in this chapter is probably not college level, but it's purpose is simply to find a ground zero, so nyeh. Thanks once again for reading.
TW for allusions to self-harm.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Let’s turn the clock back a bit shall we?
Gruff followed behind the Elf, Feru’ma he remembered, to a part of the school he’d never really been to, which he assumed led to the Library since he hadn’t been there himself. When they arrived, Gruff took a minute to take in his surroundings. The building was two stories tall, with the first floor being filled with bookshelves with more books than he cared to count, and since he didn’t see any tables around other than the check-out desk, he assumed that the second floor was meant for studying. Feru’ma led him to a staircase near the door, quickly waiving to the tan-skinned Human manning the check-out desk, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.
“Do you know him?” Gruff asked.
“Kennan Chrona, a robotics major. He has trouble sitting still, so having to man the check-out desk is essentially torture for him. He must have snuck into the robotics labs again, it seems to be the punishment the headmaster uses the most for him.'' Feru'ma said, not looking back.
Gruff nodded, not really taking in the info past the name. If it didn’t pertain to his studies or the wrestling team, he didn’t really care to pay attention and even his studies were an afterthought most of the time, though that kind of thinking is probably what got him in his current situation. Soon they’d made it to the top of the staircase and Gruff saw he was right in his assumption of the second floor. While there were a few shelves on this floor, it was mainly taken up by long tables in the center of the room, with a few reference computers lining three of the four walls, the fourth wall bare besides some windows looking out at the campus.
Feru’ma led him to one of the closer empty tables and quickly sat down in one of the chairs, with Gruff pulling one out for himself next to her. The chairs were comfortable and beside the sounds of pages turning it was fairly quiet and Gruff found he didn’t mind it too much, though he didn’t see himself being a frequent visitor outside the sessions with Feru’ma.
Feru’ma opened her bag and took out a pencil and notebook, “So let’s get started with our first session. I usually like to use this first session to get to know the person I’m going to be working with, in lieu of study work right away, so that I can start planning on how I can tailor these sessions to be as helpful as possible.” She opened her notebook to a fresh page and wrote his name at the top of the page, “So tell me, what makes Gruff Sharptooth tick?”
Gruff just stared at her, not sure of what to make of her. “You really want to know about me?”
Feru’ma nodded, “Indeed, your grades only tell your story from an academic perspective, but in order to help you improve, I need to know about you from a personal perspective. You’re clearly brilliant enough to keep your grades high, but there’s something that the test’s just can’t divulge, and that’s how you learn. If I can figure that out, I can make a plan to help you improve in the most efficient way possible.”
Gruff scoffed, “So you’re just trying to get rid of me as quickly as possible, is that it?”
Instead of acting indignant like he expected, Feru’ma just smiled, “You’d be surprised at how many times I’ve heard that when taking on a new charge,” Feru’ma placed her pencil inside the notebook to mark her place, then closed the notebook, “Gruff, I’m not here to make your grades go up to make the school look good, I’m here to help you. The headmaster recognizes that you have trouble when it comes to learning the material, that’s why she enlisted me to do so. I’ve helped countless student’s figure out why they have trouble learning, not because it elevates my status with the school, but because I genuinely want to help my fellow students succeed.” Feru’ma chuckled a bit, “Better use this intellect I’ve been given for something good right?”
Gruff looked at her with questioning eyes, “I don’t believe you, in fact why is a noble like you even here? You guys are usually homeschooled right, so you don’t have to ‘converse with those lower than you’?”
Feru’ma frowned, “Ah, I’d hoped it wasn’t too obvious, but I guess my supplies and dialect do betray my history, don't they? Very well then, we can skip the ‘reveal’ as it were. Yes, you are correct in some aspects, I was once of a noble house, but I was excommunicated a few years ago.”
Gruff’s eyebrows raised, he hadn’t expected that, “What for?”
Feru’ma smirked, “Well the official story is because I was an embarrassment to the Crim name; I wasn’t acting like a ‘proper lady’ should, I was too ‘connected to the people beneath me’,” she gagged at saying that, “but honestly? They just didn’t want to admit that their less than stellar parenting was just that, less than stellar.”
“Then how do you even pay for this place?”
“Simple, academic scholarships. Sure they don’t cover everything, but when you’re as academically gifted as I am, there are a lot of scholarships that you can apply for, and added together, they take a lion’s share of the cost away. The headmaster did offer a full-ride once, but I turned it down. I'd spent most of my life having things given to me and I wanted to work for my education.”
Gruff shook his head, incredulous, “You're weird, you know that?”
Feru’ma laughed, keeping quiet since they were still in the Library, “I’ve been called worse, but you’re not incorrect. Many of my old peers thought as much, but they fit the noble stereotype to a ‘T’, I didn’t care for it too much. With all the power and influence we have, why not use it to at least make other lives as comfortable as ours? But no, apparently thoughts like that get you kicked out of your own home, bastards.”
“Have they ever tried to stop you from attending school?”
The grin on Feru’ma’s face took a slightly malicious tone. “Oh they tried at first, but when you have enough dirt on someone and proof to back it up, people tend to leave you to your own devices.”
Gruff locked eyes with her, “So you’re really here to help me improve my grades, not for any other reason?”
Feru’ma not only held the stare, but increased her own intensity, “Gruff, I won’t lie to you, there are countless things I could be doing with this time, but instead I chose to be here helping you. I truly wish to help you pass your classes and be able to graduate.”
Gruff held the stare for a few seconds longer, then nodded, “Alright then, let’s see if you can make good on your word.”
Feru’ma smiled, “I promise I’ll do more than make good on it, now,” she grabbed her notebook and opened it to the pencil marked page, “I’ll ask you again; What makes Gruff Sharptooth tick?”
Gruff thought for a moment, “I guess making my mom happy? She’s the one who encouraged me to come here after I earned my scholarship and I guess I just wanna make her proud.”
“That’s lovely, what about your wrestling team? Any special feelings there?”
Gruff smiled, “They’re like brothers to me. We fight, joke and back each other up while Coach Galoril’s like our dad, or at least he wants to be. He makes sure we’re all taking care of ourselves and his jokes are downright terrible, but in a way that makes you laugh anyways.”
Feru’ma smiled a bit wider, “What about specific teammates? Anyone of note?”
“Well there’s Nathmar, he’s kind of like the older brother to the rest of us, he makes sure we’re all okay and he’s always got the best after practice snacks. Then there’s Turnan, he’s a bit more brash than the rest of us, but he’s also the most loyal to the team. Oh and Oak, they’re built like a fucking tree even though they’re so short, they seem quiet at first, but once they start talking about flowers they can’t stop. There’s more, but those guys are the ones that I talk to the most.”
Feru’ma finished writing in her notebook, “This is all very good stuff. Alright I think I’ve got quite a bit to work with, but I think it’s time to dig into why you might have problems with the material.”
Gruff's smile quickly faded, “Do we have to?”
Feru’ma chuckled, “Unfortunately, yes. Getting a handle on what kind of learner you are will be paramount in devising the best way to help you improve. First let’s start with a few simple math formulas to get a grasp on what’s easy for you and what’s more difficult.”
Feru’ma began writing on the page next to one she’d been using for her notes on Gruff, writing out ‘2+2=’. “I’m not going to insult you, you know the answer right?”
Gruff nodded, “Four.”
Feru’ma nodded, “Correct, alright ground zero reached, let’s take it up a notch.” She wrote out another equation, ‘4x + 4 = 20’. “I’ll give you a minute,” she said, sliding the notebook over to him. Gruff looked over it and while it wasn’t too bad, it still gave him pause, but after the minute he said “Four.”
Feru’ma nodded again, “Correct again, alright this next one’s a bit tricky, but I’m positive you can do it.” She took her notebook and wrote out ‘4x+5y = 4, 5x+6y = 4’. “Take as much time as you need and feel free to work it out in the notebook. Again, I’m positive you can do this.”
Gruff took the notebook and started to look at it, but he felt himself begin to get overwhelmed. One letter was already tripping him up, adding a second one started to mess with him. Still he took his time and used the notebook to work it out. After a few minutes, he put the pencil down and slid the notebook over to Feru’ma with two answers; ‘x = -4, y = 4’.
Feru’ma quietly applauded him, “Well done Gruff, you’ve done it. So tell me, how difficult was this one compared to the last one you did?”
Gruff grumbled a bit, “A lot, having to get two different answers and having to deal with the different variables makes my head hurt.”
Feru’ma nodded and wrote a few things in her notebook, “Okay then, we’ll stop with the equations for now, now let’s cover English Comprehension. You’ve been hearing me use words outside of the common vocabulary, are there any that confused you?”
Gruff thought for a minute, “Um, ‘Aspect’, ‘Dialect’ and I kind of know ‘Excommunicated’, but not entirely.”
Feru’ma nodded, “You have a better understanding of the words I use than most of my students. Aspect means a specific point. So saying you were correct in some aspects meant that part of what you said was correct, such as guessing that I was part of a noble house. Dialect means the specific way someone speaks, for example; despite the fact that I’m no longer of nobility, I still use the words and phrases that I learned while I was part of it. Finally Excommunicated means to completely remove someone from a group of people like my parents did when they kicked me out and left me with no resources. Honestly it seems like your English Comprehension isn’t too bad, certainly better than most.”
Feru’ma wrote a few more things in her note book then closed it, “Well with that, I should have enough information to build a fairly helpful study program.” She put the notebook and the pencil into her bag before zipping it up, “So, with that I think our time together has come to an end for today.”
Gruff grabbed his bag and stood up, “Alright, I guess that means I need to head to the Drama Club.”
Feru’ma stood up as well, “I’m assuming you don’t know how to get to the building?”
Gruff shook his head, “Do you?”
Feru’ma nodded, “Of course, I make sure to know where every building on campus is, helps to make sure my students can’t get away from me,” she finished with a chuckle, “I’d be more than happy to show you the way if you’d like.” With that, she leaned down to pick up her bag and Gruff noticed something he hadn’t before. It was a blink and you would miss it moment, but he could’ve sworn he saw a line like scar on the inside of her arm underneath the sleeve of her shirt.
Gruff spoke up, “What’s that on your arm?”
She froze, for the first time since he’d met her, Feru’ma looked afraid, “Oh, I must’ve bruised it handling my textbook, must be more careful about that.” She didn’t make eye contact with him, and noticeably covered up her arms.
“No, I know what scars and bruises look like and that’s a scar. What happened?”
Feru’ma continued to avoid his gaze, taking a deep breath before speaking, “Gruff, there’s very little I’m going to ask you outside of our tutoring, this is one of those things. Please leave it alone. All I’m going to tell you right now, is that the problem has stopped and will not continue, so please, just drop it.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, but nodded, “Okay. Are you still willing to take me to the Drama Club?”
Feru’ma nodded, though her body language was a lot more fragile than it was a minute ago, “Yes, please follow me.”
She didn’t look at him and quickly made her way out of the building. This Feru’ma Gruff was seeing was such a stark contrast compared to the one he’d been interacting with all day, it seemed like pointing out the scar on her arm really spooked her. Gruff made a mental note to try and be a bit careful bringing it up in the future, because while he wasn’t going to bring it up today, he didn’t entirely trust her when she said that the ‘problem’ had been resolved.
He decided to see if he could get her mind off of it, “So do you know much about this club?”
Feru’ma nodded, “I have a good relationship with a few of the students in the club and Mr. Neverember is a really nice teacher.”
“You ever perform with them?”
A small chuckle escaped her lips, though if there was any mirth behind it, he didn’t hear it, “Please, with my lack of talent in anything other than studying, I’d only embarrass myself.”
Gruff didn’t really care for the way she was talking about herself, “Knock it off.”
Feru’ma finally looked at him, “Excuse me?”
“This pity party you’re having, knock it off. You’re clearly more than your studies since you’re willing to help other students, hell since your family decided to kick you out so knock it off.”
Feru’ma seemed to take his words into consideration, then took a breath, followed by a smile.
“Thank you Gruff, you’re right. I promised myself I would prove to my parents I’m better than they are and this self depreciation isn’t helping to do that.” She gave him a small curtsy, “Please accept my apologies, and allow me to properly lead you to the Theater Hall.” With that it seemed like she was back to the Feru’ma he’d been seeing all day and he followed behind her.
It took them a few minutes and once they’d reached the building Gruff took a minute to appreciate the building. It was impressive simply from a size standpoint and he couldn’t help but give an approving nod. Quickly following Feru’ma he saw a few students entering into what he assumed was the main theater. Assuming they were part of the club he’d soon be a part of himself, he decided to size them up. He saw a few Humans, a Yuan-ti wearing quite a bit of jewelry on her arms, a Halfling who’s face seemed to be fixed into a state of irritation, and a Kalashtar with white hair holding the hand of and talking with another Human with dark brown hair. After quickly clocking them, he followed Feru’ma up the stairs to where he assumed he’d be meeting with the teacher in charge of the club.
Feru’ma was waiting at the top of the first staircase, “See anyone interesting?”
Gruff shook his head, “Not really.”
Feru’ma smirked, “I think that’ll change once you get to know them.”
Gruff scoffed, “Doubtful.”
Feru’ma shrugged and led the way to a classroom near the staircase. She raised her hand and quickly knocked. After a minute the door opened and Gruff saw a human of average height with strawberry red hair, who assumed to be the teacher Mr. Neverember.
“Ah, you must be Gruff,” turning to Feru’ma he said, “Thank you for showing him the way Feru’ma, do get home safe alright?”
Feru’ma bowed, “Will do, have a good day Mr. Neverember.”
He watched her leave, then turned to face Gruff, “Please come in, I’ve been expecting you.”
Gruff entered the room and heard the door close behind him. He quickly scanned the room, seeing a few posters of popular plays and desks scattered around the room, with Mr. Neverember’s desk sitting at the front of the class.
Mr. Neverember pointed to a desk near his, “Please have a seat, we have quite a bit to discuss.”
Gruff sat in the desk, “The headmaster said she’d talked to you about me.”
Mr. Nevermeber leaned against his own desk, “Yes. She expressed to me that she wanted to keep you out of trouble since you seemed to have a pretty good track record of getting yourself into it. What I need you to understand is that while I did agree to your placement here, that does not mean that I will allow you to cause trouble. Do we have an understanding there?”
Gruff nodded, “I’m just here to keep the headmaster off my back.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “Well as long as you don’t cause trouble, I can make sure she does. Now our next performance is coming up and part of your deal is that you’ll be auditioning. You’ll be part of our open audition process, which will require a small song performance and a character in the play you wish to try out for. Can you handle that?”
Gruff grimaced, “Will this be in front of other people?”
“Yes, and before you ask; no, your circumstances do not merit a private audition.”
Gruff huffed, “Fine. What show is it?”
“We’ll be performing Jekyll and Hyde, do you have any history with the performance?”
Gruff shook his head.
Mr. Neverember sighed, “I figured, but didn’t want to assume. I guess this will be your first assignment: Familiarize yourself with the play and pick a character you wish to try out for. The play’s been around for a while so finding a synopsis online shouldn’t be too difficult. Also, I expect you to actually put effort into your audition. Should I suspect any less than your best, I will ask the headmaster to remove you and find alternative extracurriculars to place you in. This performance means quite a lot to a few students and I will not have it ruined for them because of outside sources.” Mr. Neverember locked eyes with Gruff, “Do we have an understanding Mr. Sharptooth?”
Gruff shrunk in his seat a bit, “Sure.”
Mr. Neverember sharply nodded, “Very well, I believe today you are meant to be a part of our club. They’ve already begun, and I don’t wish to leave them alone for much longer, especially if Zarra’s already shown up.” Mr. Neverember stood up straight and began to head towards the door, “Let’s go.”
Gruff got up from the desk and followed behind Mr. Neverember. He led Gruff downstairs towards the main theater and before they entered the room he muttered under his breath, “Here we go.”
With that they entered the main theater.
Notes:
All the pieces are falling into place and soon the curtain will begin to rise. Let the fun begin. Hope to see you in two weeks.
Chapter 5: Chapter 5
Notes:
Almost broke my schedule, but luckily our DM is very kind and read this after I gave it to him a day before the deadline. My own fault and hopefully it doesn't happen again. Thank for reading.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jhison liked to think that he could handle any script life threw at him, but when Mr. Neverember entered the main theater with Gruff Sharptooth of all people, he had to admit this was something he never could’ve seen coming. Jhison knew who Gruff was of course, very few people in the school didn’t due to his athletic achievements, but he never thought a day would come when Gruff would be entering the main theater during Drama Club hours. A quick glance around informed him he wasn’t the only one surprised by their guest, even Ari, who was unfazed by most things that happened in the club, paused in her routine tech check-up.
Mr. Neverember seemed to notice the eyes on them and spoke up, “Everyone, as you can see we have a rather unusual guest who I’m assuming needs no introduction. Well here’s something you might not have seen coming, our guest is joining the Drama Club.”
The whole room stood still for a moment, before a chorus of “huh’s”, “what’s” and “seriously’s” began.
Ari spoke first, the human’s face turning as fiery red as her hair, “Mr. Neverember, with all due respect, Gruff Sharptooth is gonna be joining us? As what? A stage crew member?”
Mr. Neverember shook his head, “No, in fact he’ll be auditioning for a part in our upcoming production.”
Jhison's whole world immediately went cold at hearing those words, he barely heard what Ari said next, “You can’t be serious sir. He’s going to audition for the play?”
Mr. Neverember stood unfazed, “Yes, he expressed a desire to join us and I agreed. Is there a problem with that?”
Ari looked around, looking to see if someone was brave enough to say it, before looking right back at Mr. Neverember, “Yeah there’s a problem, he’s a huge trouble maker! I’m pretty sure we’ll lose like fifty percent of our audience if he’s even rumored to be in the play.”
Mr. Neverember’s gaze turned steely, “I will hear no more talk like that Ms. Oxalis. This club accepts any who wish to join no matter what their background may be. It’s not our first trouble maker that we’ve accepted and I’m fairly certain it won’t be the last.”
Ari didn’t back down, “Again with all due respect sir, Zarra hardly counts as a club member. She doesn’t even participate, she just sits in the back because she has to keep out of trouble and you don’t stop her.”
At the sound of her name, the Drow woman took off her headphones, “Someone call for me?”
Jhison spoke up, “No, you’re fine.”
Zarra nodded then proceeded to return to what she was doing.
Mr. Neverember sighed, “I would have thought that a club all about accepting others for who they are would have received our new member with more open arms.” He looked around the room , “How many stories have been told about those who were outcast and needed a place to belong? How many of you have felt outcast yourselves, yet here stands someone who is reaching out to us and you’re turning him away for what? His past? Shame on you all.”
Many student’s, including Ari, looked down at the ground. For many of them, being scolded by Mr. Neverember was akin to being scolded by a parent.
Jhison took a deep breath, “You’re right sir,” turning to Gruff he said, “and allow me to be the first to apologize, Sharptooth. You have as much right to be here as the rest of us, I’m sorry we were all too proud to acknowledge it.” The room was filled with a chorus of “sorry’s” after Jhison has finished.
Mr. Neverember smiled, “There’s the Drama Club I know and love. Now let’s try this again, everyone please welcome our new member, Gruff Sharptooth!”
With that the room was filled with applauze and the sound of “Welcome, Gruff.” After a few minutes the room settled again and Mr. Neverember motioned for Gruff to follow him. Both of them walked onto the stage and faced the rest of the class.
“Now as is customary, I’ll give the stage to our new member so that he may introduce himself,” turning to Gruff he said, “Please give us your name, pronouns and an interesting fact about yourself.”
Jhison couldn’t help but notice Gruff seemed to be extremely uncomfortable having the spotlight put on him, but he recovered quickly, “Gruff, He/Him and I enjoy sailing.” He didn’t seem to have more than that so Mr. Neverember turned to the rest of the class, “Alright, in no particular order I’d like all of you to introduce yourself in the same manner. Let’s be quick about it though, we have a few things we need to go over.”
Jhison began, “Jhison Benevill, He/Him and the play we’re about to put on is my personal favorite.”
“Kesta Northrun, She/Her and I’m an un-official member, I’m actually the president of the Astronomy Club.”
“Ari Oxalis, She/Her I like to tinker and you better not touch the dials around here.”
“Gray, He/Him, Criminology major.”
“Illusandra, She/Her and I like to do Tarot readings in my spare time.”
“Savah, She/Her and I plan to open my own sewing shop one day.”
“Macy May, She/Her and you won’t see me unless I want you to around here.”
A few more introductions were made before the doors to the theater’s entrance burst open. Gruff turned to look at who had entered, but no one else did. Mr. Neverember spoke up, “Alright, who had 10 minuets late?” A few hands shot up, including Ari and Macy. “Well done, you’re exempt from today’s cleaning duties.” A few cheers and groans rose up, with Gruff just looking perplexed.
“Oh come on guys, I’m not late that often.” The person who’d entered spoke. The person in question was a male half-elf with well kept dark blue hair, but what seemed to catch Gruff’s eye the most were the Bronze Dragon scales lining his face.
Jhison laughed, “It’s been four times in a row now Daeceran. I don’t know what to tell you.”
The half-elf, now identified as Daeceran, shook his head, “Did it really warrant a betting pool though?”
The whole room joined in saying “Yes”.
Daeceran pouted, “Well that’s quite rude.”
Mr. Neverember chuckled, “Come on in Daeceran we were just doing introductions for our new member here.”
Daeceran looked at the stage and his face immediately went white, “G-Gruff Sharptooth?”
Jhison sighed, “Yes Daeceran, Gruff Sharptooth. This is very five minutes ago so can you quickly skip to the part where you accept he’s here and introduce yourself?”
Kesta smacked him in the chest, “Be nice.”
Jhison smirked, “I’m always nice.”
Daeceran shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, “So this is serious then? Not an elaborate joke?”
Ari shook her head, “Nope, real deal.”
Daceran seemed to process this information, then took a deep breath, “Well then in that case, Daeceran Glader, He/Him and I have Dragon scales.” Daeceran then walked down the rows and took a seat near the front of the stage.
“Thank you Daeceran, Gruff you may have a seat as well.” Gruff walked off stage and sat a little ways away from the rest of the students.
Mr. Neverember clapped his hands together, “Now as all of you are aware, we’ll be putting on a performance in a couple of months and both in-class and open auditions will begin tomorrow. Sign-up sheets for open auditions will be posted by nine AM around the school with a link on the flier to sign up for an audition time. All audition times are first come, first serve. Please inform any friends or peers not in either my class or the club so that if they wish they may sign up. Any questions so far?”
The entire class stayed silent, “Very well, next order of business, has anyone here not been informed of the play we’ll be putting on?” A few students that only were in the club, including Daeceran’s, raised their hands, “Allow me to remedy that then. We’ll be performing Jekyll and Hyde and in lieu of giving you a synopsis here, I trust you’ll be able to find it online.”
Mr. Neverember began to walk around the stage, “Now for those of you who attend this club but not my classes, you’ll be allowed to do either set of audition requirements. Either three characters, a short monologue and a song from the production featuring your top pick, or simply your preferred character and any song you wish to perform. Do not feel pressured into doing the first set, I pride myself on being a fair judge of who will do well in what parts and whichever set of audition requirements you choose to do will not boost or lower your chances of being chosen for a starring role.”
Mr. Neverember stopped in center stage, “Any questions?” When the class shook their heads ‘no’, he smiled, “Then with that, I believe we should proceed with our club activities!”
The class cheered, ready to get to the fun stuff.
“Now seeing as we’ll be performing a play about duality, I thought it prudent to do a fun little exercise about duality. I shall choose two of you to come up on stage and I’ll give you a topic, one of you must act as the topic and the other its duality. Any volunteers?”
Many hands immediately raised, with Ari and Gruff’s hands noticeably staying lowered. Mr. Neverember looked at the student’s before saying, “Savah and Illusandra, how about you two start us off?” The two girls looked at each other before walking onto the stage, Mr. Neverember walking over to stage right.
Once they were in their place, Mr. Neverember called out, “Love”
Savah immediately held her hands to her chest, looking like the model of a love-struck girl, “Oh, how joyous to be in love. My day shines brighter than ever before and the thought of my sweetheart simply makes me want to burst with happiness.”
Illusandra scowled, “Pah, what good is love? Love can not keep you warm at night, nor can it feed you. With hatred, however, you can accomplish great things. Empires have toppled simply because someone hated someone else. Hate keeps you going long after love dies out.”
Savah looked incredulous, “But without love, you would be lonely all your life! How can you say your life is meaningful if you don’t spend it with people that you care about?”
Illusandra looked furious, “People are terrible creatures. Why give someone a dagger to your heart with which to betray you? Love makes you weak, makes you vulnerable. Why on earth would you do that to yourself?”
Savah smiled, though Jhison could see she was having trouble not making it a smirk, “Love may make you vulnerable, but it makes you far stronger. Vulnerability leads to personal strength and those willing to let themselves be vulnerable are far stronger than those who bind themselves with hate.”
Mr. Neverember spoke up, “Well done ladies, I think I’ll stop you there before we get too deep into it.” Savah's smile finally turned into a smirk and Illusandra’s frown turned neutral. “Please go ahead and return to your seats.” They exited the stage quickly, giving each other a high-five when they passed.
Mr. Neverember looked again towards the crowd, “Who’s next?” Hands went up in the air and Mr. Neverember looked over them again, “Let’s see…Daeceran and…Kesta, what a pleasant surprise! Please come up on stage.”
Jhison’s eyebrows rose, he hadn’t noticed Kesta’s hand was raised. As she got up to head to the stage, he quickly whispered, “You’ve got this.” Kesta smiled at the encouragement and began to make her way over to the stage.
The two quickly took their places once they made it. Soon after Mr. Neverember called out, “Virtue”
Kesta looked to Daeceran, clearly allowing him to take the lead if he wanted to. Once she saw him shake his head, she began to move around, “Oh, madam!” She called out to someone no one else saw, “You’ve dropped your wallet, please allow me to return it to you.” Kesta mimed picking up a wallet and handing it to someone, at which point Daeceran began to stumble towards them, miming holding a bottle of alcohol. He stumbled into her and Jhison had to control himself, knowing it was just Daeceran acting.
“Haah, wh-what’s thissss then? Pretty girl like you, giving back?” Daceran laughed drunkenly, “Someone like you should be indulging, there’s so much in this world to take, why would you want to give it back?” He then mimed drinking from the bottle, clearly the chosen vice.
Kesta simply smiled, “Because kindness is a virtue we should all express. Why indulge in vice, when virtue can lead to a much more fulfilling life?”
Daceran scowled, “Bah! Virtue is for suckers.” He took another drink, “Vice makes you feel good, and gives you something. What about giving something away would make you feel good?”
Mr. Neverember clapped his hands together once, “Alright, I think that will do. Thank you both, you may return to your seats.” Daeceran quickly stood up straight and began to apologize to Kesta for bumping into her. Kesta smiled and shook her head, and while Jhison couldn’t make out the exact words, he figured she was telling him he was fine. That's just who she was, kind to everyone, even if they didn’t deserve it. The pair quickly returned to their seats with Jhison squeezing Kesta’s shoulder in pride when she sat back down next to him, “You did so well, my Silver Bullet.”
Kesta blushed, “Maybe I’ll accept your compliment when my heart rate goes back down. It’s so scary up there.”
Jhison chuckled, “If you were nervous you certainly didn’t show it.”
Mr. Neverember spoke up again, “Alright, who’s next?”
And so it went, Mr. Neverember chose pairings and topics for the majority of club time. Many pairings were interesting, like Ari and Macy, while some were down right funny, like Gray and Savah. Eventually Mr. Neverember looked at his watch, “Alright we’re almost out of time, but I think we’ve got time for one more, and since neither of these two have gone yet it seems fitting to have them be our finale performers. Gruff and Jhison, please make your way to the stage.”
Jhison smiled, relishing the fact that he’d been given the finale performance, though sparing a quick glance at Gruff showed he seemed to be the only one. Nevertheless, they both made their way to the stage, though Gruff seemed to be dragging his feet slightly.
After taking their positions Mr. Neverember called out, “Loyalty”
Jhison looked over at Gruff, giving him the floor. Gruff looked nervous, like he didn’t seem to know what to do. Mr. Neverember looked at Guff, “Are you okay Gruff?”
“I don’t know what to do.”
Mr. Neverember nodded in understanding, “Ah, the bane of most first timers, not knowing how to improv.” He approached Gruff, “It’s easy to follow a script, to memorize and regurgitate, but improv takes a creative spirit. However, it can still be done by those who struggle with it.”
He looked at the audience, “Ari, would you care to recount your first improv experience.”
Ari immediately turned red, “No, thank you. I’d rather continue to repress that memory thanks.”
Zarra laughed, apparently having tuned in at some point, “Oh come on Ari, it wasn’t that bad.”
Ari embarrassment turned to annoyance, “Yeah, saying exactly one word over and over again the entire time isn’t embarrassing at all.”
Daeceran chuckled, “At least you could speak, I’m pretty sure I became temporarily mute the first time I tried.”
At once the class began to laugh and share embarrassing stories and Jhison couldn’t help but smile. This was the group he had grown to love seeing every day, not a group of peers, but something akin to a family. He looked over at Gruff and seeing he was still nervous spoke up, “I’m pretty sure I beat all of you. My first time began with an astounding monologue…in nothing but gibberish.”
The class roared with laughter, and Jhison’s smile grew even wider, he turned to Gruff, “Everyone here had a starting point and even today we still make mistakes, it comes with the territory, but rather than dwell on them and stop yourself from trying, use them as lessons and things to laugh at down the line.”
Mr. Neverember nodded and looked to Gruff, “It doesn't have to be spectacular, just try your best.”
Gruff seemed to process this information, then slowly nodded. Mr. Neverember returned to where he was standing before, turned and called out, “When you feel you’re ready, Loyalty.”
Gruff thought for a moment, took a deep breath and began, “Wh-why did you betray me? Y-you said we’d stay together, that we were friends.”
Jhison picked up on the story Gruff was trying to tell and molded his face into one of disgust, “Please, you were never more than a means to an end. You were so desperate for companionship, for a friend, that it was easy to use you. It was easy since you were so loyal to me.”
Gruff seemed to take that personally, and scowled, “So that’s all I was to you, a tool? Nothing more than a slave to your whims?”
Jhison laughed maniacally, “A tool? Please, calling yourself a tool is too kind, you were coal on the side of the road that I tricked into thinking it was a diamond. You were so dense. No matter how badly I treated you, you stuck by me anyways, like an abused puppy still craving love from it’s master.”
Evidently that touched an actual nerve, because Gruff looked very angry and Jhison was pretty sure it wasn’t acting, “What the fuck did you just say to me?”
Jhison immediately broke character, “Sharptooth, are you alright?”
Gruff snarled at him, “You take that back…now!”
Jhison knew right then and there that he’d hit something personal, “Sharptooth, I meant no harm. I simply was following the story you set, but I can see that I went too far. I apologize.”
Gruff still didn’t seem satisfied, but it did seem like he wasn’t ready to tear Jhison apart. Mr. Neverember came up behind Gruff and place a hand on his arm, “Are you-”
Mr. Nevermeber was interrupted by Gruff whirling on him, “Don’t touch me!”
Mr. Neverember’s tone turned cold, “Gruff, I’m certain Jhison meant no real harm and I’m quite certain I agreed you could join if you didn’t cause trouble.” His tone was so soft Jhison almost didn’t hear it, “Now calm down and take your seat.”
Gruff looked like he wanted to argue, but apparently he thought better of it and walked off stage. Jhison quickly followed after him, but he got a glare that clearly said he didn’t want to talk. Not wanting to start a true altercation, Jhison decided to take his seat and try to talk to him after the club adjourned.
Mr. Neverember took a small breath, then turned to the group, “Alright, and with that, we’ve come to the end of our time together. Those who’ve been granted an exception today may leave now. As for the rest of you, let’s get started on cleaning. We don’t have much to tidy up, but let’s make sure we keep this place clean. Remember: A clean theater helps make…”
“A clean performance.” the club finished. With that, the student’s who’d predicted Daeceran’s lateness gathered their things and left the main theater. The rest of the student’s began to look around the room for loose garbage, with Ari getting on stage and entering a small supply closet and grabbing a small mop and washing down the stage itself. Once the cleaning was taken care of Mr. Neverember wished them a good rest of the day and they left. Jhison tried to keep track of Gruff, but he was quicker than Jhison thought he’d be and he lost him.
Kesta came up behind him, “You know he probably wouldn’t have wanted to talk anyways, right?”
Jhison grimaced, still looking for Gruff, “That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try to make things right. Something I said up there cut him personally, and I really want him to know I didn’t mean to.”
Kesta grabbed the side of his face and had him turn to look at her, “He’ll probably realize that once he calms down, and if it really bothers you, you’ll get to see him again at the club and you’ll be able to apologize then.”
Jhison wanted to argue, but he knew she was right, “You’re right, I just hope he doesn’t hate the club because of something I said.”
Kesta smiled, “I’m sure you’ll be fine.” She gave him a quick peck on the lips, “Now, let’s get home.”
Jhison interlocked his hand with hers and they began to walk to their shared dorm. However, while the conversation had stopped, his thoughts continued to race, ‘I need to make sure he doesn't hate the club. I won’t have him ruin what we’ve built up.’
“I have to make it up to him.”
Notes:
So Gruff's first encounter with the Drama Club and boy was there drama. Hope to see you all in two weeks.
Chapter 6: Chapter 6
Notes:
Alright gonna be honest here, not entirely satisfied with this one, can't quite put my finger on it though. Hopefully it's still readable. Thanks once again to my DM for being a fantastic beta.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Gruff wasn’t really sure how he got to the school's gym, the last thing he really remembered was being on stage in the drama club, with his face looking at him with pity while laughing at him, anything past that was a blur of red, but here he found himself. He didn’t remember changing, but he was in his workout clothes anyways and when he really came to he was on his back doing bench presses and his roommate and teammate Nathmar was standing over him.
The Shifter seemed to notice him become lucid again, “Welcome back bud, how was it exploring the empty caverns of your mind?”
Gruff scoffed, “More up there than yours.”
Nathmar smirked, “Wow. You must really be out of it if that’s the best you came up with. C’mon you’ve got three more before you finish your set, then we can talk.”
Gruff nodded, focusing on the weight in his arms, then slowly brought it down letting it float a bit before pushing back up. After two more times of that routine, he set the bar on the arms of the bench press and sat up.
Nathmar handed him a water bottle, “Here drink this, you’ve done about ten of those.”
Gruff took the water bottle and quickly took stock of his body’s condition. His quads were a bit sore, so he figured he’d already done his squats. The soreness of his arms attested to what Nathmar said, but his triceps also were slightly sore, so he must’ve done pull-ups as well. Finishing his drink, he passed the water bottle back to Nathmar, who sat down on another one of the bench presses nearby.
Nathmar took a drink from his own bottle, a few lines of sweat running down his face, “So, wanna tell me what’s got you so angry that you did your workout on auto-pilot?”
Gruff scowled, “It’s nothing. Just school stuff.”
Nathmar’s smirk returned, “Gruff, how long have we been teammates?”
Gruff knew where this was going, “Couple years.”
“So how high is my tolerance for bullshit?”
Gruff smirked, “Don’t know, with how much you spit out on a daily basis, must be pretty high though.”
Nathmar chuckled, “I’ll have you know I am the pillar of honesty.”
“Oh look, there goes some now.”
Nathmar shook his head, “Look, Gruff you’re not just my teammate, you’re my roommate and my friend, so when something’s bothering you I wanna be able to help. I can’t do that if you won’t talk to me though.”
Gruff’s smirk fell, “There’s nothing to talk about. Just something that happened after school.”
Nathmar didn’t seem to buy that, “What, did someone talk shit about the wrestling team again?”
“No.”
“Someone make fun of you or something?”
Gruff tried to hide that Nathmar was close with a scoff, “Please, anyone caught doing that would be in the hospital.”
Nathmar seemed to pick up on the scent, “You sure? Cause you broke eye-contact for a second there. C’mon who was it?”
Gruff scowled, “Look, it’s nothing alright? Just drop it.”
Nathmar seemed to wanna press the point, but decided to drop it, “Fine, but if I catch you spacing out like that again, I’m not gonna let up till you tell me who’s messing with you.”
Gruff rolled his eyes, “Whatever. I’m gonna head back to the room, you coming?”
Nathmar shook his head, “Nah, since I had to follow you around while you were spaced out, I didn’t get my full workout in. I’m gonna finish up here, should be back in a half hour.”
Gruff nodded, put the weights he used back in their slots, wiped down the bench press and headed for the door. Walking out onto the campus, he saw that the sun was going down, letting him know that he'd been in the gym for a while. He quickly made his way to the dormitory, a building three stories tall, each floor for different students. The top floor was for the Co-ed dorms, the second floor for the male dorms and the bottom floor for the female dorms. Taking the stairs to the second floor, Gruff made his way to his dorm, the hallways empty save for him and a few other students who seemed to be going out for the night.
Getting his keys out of his pocket, Gruff opened the door to his dorm. After putting them on the hook by the door, Nathmar got pissy when he didn’t, he made his way to his room. Gruff didn’t keep anything on his walls, it wasn't his style, but he did keep a few pictures of his family on his nightstand. Grabbing the towel he kept by the door, another rule Nathmar made him keep, he crossed the hall toward the dorm’s shower. Turning the water on to give it time to heat up, he started to undress. After a few minutes, he hopped in and started to clean off the sweat from the workout.
Unfortunately, that’s when his thoughts decided to start replaying memories he’d rather forget.
“You’ll never amount to anything!”, a male voice shouted at him.
‘That wasn’t true’, Gruff thought back.
“You’re lucky we decided to take you in, who’d ever think of adopting someone like you?”, this one was female.
‘No, I’m lucky I’m not there anymore. Mom’s treated me better than you ever did.’
“You can’t control yourself, you’re a danger to the team. Get out!”, another male voice shouted at him.
That one made him wince, ‘Guess football wasn’t for me then, at least this team appreciates me.’
Then, a new voice rose up, one he’d heard earlier that day, “No matter how badly I treated you, you stuck by me anyways, like an abused puppy still craving love from its master.”
Gruff’s anger flared, ‘What happened to, “I had the right to be there”, huh? Was that just acting? Clearly that didn’t matter once you found a free excuse to insult me.’
Then, that voice showed up, the one he dreaded hearing every time his thoughts spiraled, “You are nothing more than a slave to my whims. When I say jump, you better damn well jump. I took you in, I gave you a home, you better show your appreciation, or I might as well throw you back to where I found you. Do I make myself clear Dun-”
Gruff roared, “My name is Gruff!”
He heard a knock at the bathroom door, “Gruff, you okay in there?”
Gruff realized he was breathing heavily. He took a few deep breaths to calm down, then answered back, “Yeah, I’m good.”
The voice, Nathmar he guessed, spoke up again, “Alright, but don’t use up all the hot water yeah? I need to get in there too.”
Gruff yelled out, “I’ll be out in a minute, I’m just about done.”
He didn’t hear anything after that so he assumed Nathmar had left. He shook his head, trying to shake out the thoughts, then shut off the water and got out of the shower. Grabbing the towel and wrapping it around his waist, he unlocked the door, grabbed his gym clothes and left the bathroom.
Nathmar was in the kitchen as he passed by the living area, drinking one of his protein shakes, “Hope you were thinking about me in there.”
Gruff scoffed, “You wish.”
Nathmar’s laughter followed him as he entered his room, shutting the door before walking over to his dresser. He didn’t have any other plans for the night, so he got dressed in his sleep clothes then walked back into the living area. He noticed Nathmar wasn’t in the room anymore and that the shower was running, so Gruff sat down on the couch and turned on the TV.
After a few minutes of channel surfing, Nathmar came into the room, using a towel to dry his shoulder length hair, “Anything good on?”
Gruff shook his head, “Not really.”
Nathmar sighed, “That’s unfortunate. You really wanna do anything?”
“Nope”
Nathmar smirked, “Wanna gossip about cute boys on campus?”
Nathmar ducked under the pillow Gruff threw at him laughing, “Gonna have to try harder than that bud.”
Gruff glared at him, “Do I look like I’m fourteen?”
Nathmar shrugged, “Look? No. Act? Weeeelllll.
Gruff scowled, “Keep that up and we can find out if you can get out my headlocks yet.”
Nathmar put his hands up, surrendering, “Hey all I’m saying is, we’re bored and TV’s a bust. I personally don’t feel like going out tonight, and unless you wanna talk about what was bothering you…”
“No.”
“Then we’re stuck, and frankly pretending to be 14 year old girls gossiping about their crushes is a hell of a lot more fun than being bored till we crash.”
Gruff smirked, “You saying you’ve got someone to gossip about?”
Surprisingly, Nathmar started blushing. Gruff smiled, “You do!”
Nathmar started to sputter, “I-I mean, I guess, b-but you said you didn’t wanna talk about it, so I’m just gonna-”
Gruff stood up, “Oh no you don’t.”
Nathmar tried running, but Gruff was faster than him and had a head start. Before he could get more than a step, Gruff had him in a headlock and was bringing him over to the couch. Gruff felt Nathmar shift, but even with the boost in strength, the Beasthide shifter didn’t even come close to breaking Gruff’s hold on him.
Gruff started taunting him, “Tell me who it is and I’ll let you go.”
Nathmar struggled, “No way.”
“Look this either ends with you telling me or you in my arms for the rest of the night.”
Nathmar chuckled, though with Gruff’s arms around his neck it was a bit strangled, “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
“Oh it’ll be much worse than this.”
Nathmar struggled a bit more, “Fine!”
Gruff slightly loosened his hold, “You’ll talk?”
“Yes, I’ll talk alright? Now let me go.”
Gruff decided he was being truthful and let him go, “Start talking Romeo.”
Nathmar started rubbing at his neck, his transformation reverting, “Yeah yeah. So I was at the GSA at lunch today-”
Gruff interrupted, “The what?”
Nathmar smirked, “Oh right, you don’t know about that. The Gay-Straight Alliance, basically a place for LGBT and LGBT friendly straights to hang out and talk. Been going there for a while. Anyways, there’s this guy Folgrand. He’s a Wildhunt shifter and he practices martial arts. We’ve been talking recently and…I guess he’s kinda hot.”
Gruff’s face was pretty neutral, “Hot in the ‘conventionally attractive’ way or the ‘He could break me over his knee and I’d thank him for it’ way?”
Nathmar’s blush came back, “Little bit of column A…lot a bit of column B.”
Gruff laughed, “Well as long as I don’t have to hear it. Have you asked him out yet?”
Nathmar scoffed, “No, we’ve only just started talking…and I don’t think I’m looking for a one nighter with him.”
Gruff’s eyes widened, “Shit…you’re serious about this guy.”
Nathmar’s blush deepend, and he nodded.
Gruff stood awkwardly, “Well…go for it. If you think there’s something there, might as well go for it yeah?”
Nathmar shrugged, “I don’t know man…hey what about you? Anyone catch your eye lately?”
Gruff shook his head sitting on the couch as he did, “Nope, not really looking either.”
Nathmar groaned, “Gods you’re boring, you know that?” then a smile grew on Nathmar’s face, “Heard an interesting rumor today.”
Gruff nodded, not really paying attention, “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, it involves you and a building I didn’t think you knew existed.”
Gruff’s head snapped to where Nathmar was standing, “Who told you?”
Nathmar held his hands up, “Hey, I’m just repeating what I heard around campus. Apparently you were seen in the Library with an Elf, Feru…something or other.”
Gruff responded before he could think, “Feru’ma,” then quickly cursed himself.
Nathmar’s eyes widened, “So it’s true then? Huh, didn’t peg you for the study buddy type.”
Gruff rolled his eyes, “It’s not like that, she’s my tutor. My grades are slipping a bit so she’s been assigned to help me improve them.”
Nathmar’s eyebrow rose, “That’s weird, don’t you usually have to sign up to get a tutor from the school?”
Gruff shrugged, trying to hide how uncomfortable he was with this topic, “Guess they figured I wouldn’t and assigned me one anyways.”
Nathmar looked skeptical, but let it go, “Gods, why is there nothing to do?”
Gruff checked the clock, “Because it’s almost seven on a school night? Look either figure something out, or leave me to my channel surfing.”
“Ugh, fine. I’m going to my room, let me know if you find anything good.”
With that Gruff was left alone with his thoughts and the TV. Unfortunately, the pickings were slim and the best he could find were some game show channels, nothing to write home about. Then he saw something he hadn’t noticed before, a name of a musical he somewhat recognized from Mr. Neverember’s wall. Figuring it was better than game shows he turned down the volume, so Nathmar wouldn’t hear, and switched to the channel. It was sort of interesting, better than he expected if he was being honest and by the time it had wrapped up, he noticed it was almost nine at night. Getting up from the couch and turning off the TV, he made his way to his bedroom. Shutting the door and getting under the covers, he closed his eyes, half remembered songs helping him drift off to sleep.
------------
Getting to the entrance of the main school building, Gruff tried really hard not to think about what he had to do today. Thankfully he was helped by a familiar face, a tall, lean human with blond shaggy hair and tanned skin, otherwise known as Turnan. He waved at Gruff and started walking next to him.
“Hey man, how’s it going?”
“Fine.”
“Rough morning?”
“Nah, just not looking forward to class.”
Turnan scoffed, “Yeah I get that. Class blows, but hey better than not being able to go here.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Turnan opened his mouth, then something caught his eye, then he sneered, “Oh gods, really?”
Gruff followed his gaze, seeing one of the posters Mr. Neverember mentioned the day before.
“Oh, guess it’s that time again huh,” Gruff said, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Yeah, the time where the theater nerds get even more annoying than they already are. I swear, they’re so loud whenever there’s a play coming up.” Turnan replied, looking annoyed.
“Whatever, I have to get to class.”
“Yeah, same here. See you at practice.”
Gruff watched Turnan leave, then when he was sure Turnan was too far to see him, he doubled back to the poster. Quickly checking to see no one was looking at him, he quickly took a picture with his phone, deciding to look over it later when he had lunch. He quickly put his phone away, then headed to his next class…not realizing someone had seen him.
------------
Classes were a slog that day, though they were most days and Gruff found himself in the cafeteria barely remembering the past few hours. He decided to sit alone today, and with the other members of the team in class still it was pretty easy for him to find a spot for him to be alone. While he was eating he decided to actually look up the play he was forced to be in. After reading the synopsis, he decided this was not the play for him. All these people arguing over what was right and what was wrong and in the end it didn’t even matter since everyone who was fighting died anyway. Hopefully he’d only get a background part, he didn’t think he’d survive getting a named part. Though if he had to choose, and he did, he figured he could be Stride. Didn’t have many singing parts, but he did have a few and that met the criteria he needed to follow. Typing the link on the poster into his phone, he signed up for the latest time he could the following day, figuring he’d just get it over with, hopefully with as little embarrassment as possible.
Noticing the time when he finished, he cleaned up his area and started making his way to his next class, praying again to Umberlee that he’d get through this as quickly as possible, he already hated it and it hadn’t even started yet.
Notes:
Oooh, looks like trouble might be on the horizon. Hope the next chapter's better. Hope to see you in two weeks.
Chapter 7: Chapter 7
Notes:
This one was nearly a schedule break because I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do with with it, but thankfully I got a bolt of inspiration right at the end, thought I do need to stop giving these to my DM at the last minute.
Anyways thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jhison stifled a yawn, the third one in the last five minutes, and looked at the clock on the wall, ‘Another day, another boring Meteorology class. The sleep deprivation isn’t helping much either.”
Indeed, Jhison hadn’t slept well the previous night, in part due to excitement for getting to perform Jekyll and Hyde, but mostly due to the fact he’d spent most of the previous night either rehearsing for his audition, trying to figure out how to apologize to Gruff and deciding on a monologue. Culminated altogether, Jhison’s sleep schedule took a hit and he found himself barely able to keep his eyes open. He briefly considered letting his eyes close anyways, but quickly remembered what happened the last time someone fell asleep in class and decided that attempting to stay awake was far easier than having to help Ms. Blymah take care of her greenhouse for a week.
‘Come on Benevill, just think about your audition. Go over your steps aga-again.’ he felt his head tip forward, and quickly shook himself awake, ‘NO, come on, you can do this. Just five more minutes and you're out of here. Then you can see Kesta and you can take a power nap before Theater. You can do this.’
It was a struggle, but eventually the five minutes passed and Jhison was able to leave the class. Quickly gathering his things he once again headed to the medical sciences wing of the school, hoping to get there before Kesta was let out. Luckily for him, it seemed the class was going long and the halls were empty as he arrived. Propping himself against the wall he closed his eyes, ‘Alright Jhison, it’s time. The challenge in front of you is great, but you’ve rehearsed this dozens of times. She’ll put up a fight, but you’ve got a great argument. There’s no way-’
“Starlight?”
Jhison jumped, not used to being snuck up on, “Ah! Oh, my apologies my Silver Bullet, I was lost in thought, are you ready?”
Kesta nodded, taking his hand in hers, “So what has you so wrapped up in thought?”
Jhison took a quick breath, it was time, “Well, I was wondering if you’d consider auditioning for the play. Now before you say no-”
“Okay.”
Jhison stopped walking, “Wait what?”
Kesta, stopping with him, acted like nothing was wrong, “I said okay, in fact I signed up this morning. I’ll be auditioning tomorrow.”
Jhison took a minute to process this, “Seriously? You’re not just saying this to get me to drop it?”
Kesta pulled her phone out of her pocket. Opening it up, she showed Jhison her screen which had the confirmation email with her audition time pulled up.
Jhison was stunned, “I-I’ll admit I’m a bit surprised, every time I’ve asked before you’ve shot me down. What’s different this time?”
Kesta looked at Jhison incredulously, “Seriously? How about the fact that this is the play you’ve wanted to perform since you were a child? Why do you think I was at the Drama club instead of the Astronomy club yesterday? I asked Fa’lana to take over for me. In fact she’ll be covering for me until the play’s over so I can attend rehearsals.”
“So you getting on stage yesterday-”
“Was the first step in trying to get over my performance anxiety, yes.” Ketsa took a deep breath, “Look, I’m not going to lie to you Starlight; I’m scared to do this, but I want to at least try for you. You’ve wanted to perform this play for as long as I can remember and well…I can’t say I haven’t wanted to be right there next to you every time you get on stage.”
“I-I don’t know what to say…thank you my Silver Bullet. I promise, I’ll help you in any way I can, you won’t regret this decision.” Jhison leaned down and gave Kesta a loving kiss, holding it for a few seconds then breaking it, leaning his forehead against hers. After a few moments, they began walking again, “So, who’re you trying out for?”
“Emma.”
“I love you”
Kesta smiled, “I know. I’m going to need your help though, picking a song is harder than I thought.”
“Of course. What were you…”
Their conversation continued on and before either of them knew it, they had to part ways. Giving each other a kiss good-bye, Kesta entered her next class and Jhison walked to class on cloud nine.
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The smile on his face hadn’t dropped by the time he entered the classroom and quite a few students noticed.
Savah decided to be the one to ask him, “So what’s with you? You and Kesta have a fun night last night?” the class snickered at Savah’s words.
Surprisingly, to the class anyways, the smile didn’t drop, “Nope, better, she’s auditioning for the play.”
Savah sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, “I should be surprised that you consider your girlfriend joining the play to be better than sex, but I think I speak for all of us when I say it doesn't.”
Suddenly the temperature around Jhison seemed to flare up a bit, “Of course not, if we didn’t know better we’d all think him Ace for how little he seems to care about it.”
Jhison turned to see a four horned Tiefling with rustic brown hair and deathly pale skin leaning against the door frame.
Savah smirked, “You’re not wrong Beetle, shame too. Pretty sure Kesta’s been dying to get her hands on him, how either of you wait for marriage I’ll never know.”
Jhison started to walk to his desk, “Lots and lots of patience and control. It’s gotten worse ever since we started living together, and I’ll admit there've been a few close calls, but we both want to graduate before we start making plans like that. Don’t want to have to worry about raising a child while we’re both in school and all that.”
Beetle chuckled, “Oh indeed, honestly though they should invent a new word for how chaste you two are, the base word simply doesn't work anymore.”
Jhison sat down, “I’d continue arguing, but I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night in preparation for class today. Wake me up when Mr. Neverember gets here.” With that, Jhison folded his arms, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
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It could have only been a few minutes, but the next thing Jhison knew; he had a splitting headache. Startled, he fell out of his chair to the raucous laughter of the rest of the class.
Mr. Neverember was looking at him, smirking, “Good to see my aim hasn’t dulled over the years.”
Jhison looked around and found the eraser that had been thrown at him. He looked up at Beetle and Savah, “I thought I asked you to wake me up!”
Savah tried to control her laughter, “I’m sorry darling, but you can’t just give me a golden opportunity on a silver platter like that.”
Beetle was still chuckling as he chimed in, “Also I never agreed to wake you, you just assumed. And now I’ve taught you a valuable lesson about making assumptions.”
Jhison scowled and felt something in the back of his mind flare up, but quickly squashed it taking a few deep breaths. Picking up the eraser, he got up and walked to the front of the class handing the eraser to Mr. Neverember once he got there.
“I’m sorry sir, I’ll try to avoid sleeping in class again.”
Mr. Neverember gave a sharp nod, “It’s alright Jhison, but you know the rules. Since it’s the first time I won’t inflict the full punishment, but do try and get some rest alright?”
“Yes sir.”
“Alright then. Well since you’re up here, how about you start off our in class auditions?”
Jhison perked up a bit, “I’d be honored, sir.”
Mr. Neverember smiled, “Very well, then…” he walked over to the desk he used for in-class auditions and sat down, “When you’re ready, you may begin.”
Jhison continued to face the board, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. ‘It’s time, time to show them what it means to be Jekyll and Hyde.’
Jhison stood up straight, then turned on his heel to face the class. “My name is Jhison Benevill, I’m auditioning for Jekyll and Hyde, John Utterson and Sir Danvers Carew. The monologue I will be performing is ‘I’m mad as hell’ from ‘Network’ and the song I’ll be performing is ‘Transformation’.”
With that, Jhison began his audition. His natural talent for mimicry lent itself well to monologues, combined with his natural charisma, it was as if he was born to act. The anger he poured into the monologue seemed almost real, as though he really was on the verge of losing it all and tired of the world around him. When he shouted the final ‘I'M MAD AS HELL AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE’, a few people had to cover their ears from the intensity. Once he finished the anger on his face disappeared, almost as if it hadn’t even been there, and he took a few breaths to regain the air he lost.
He then proceeded onto the song and just like with the monologue, he fully transformed into the character, though this time it was hard to tell where Jhison ended…and where Dr. Jekyll began. Anyone in the class could see that this was a performance not just practiced the night before, but practiced for years upon years. The pseudo monologue in the song was done with such care and emotion, that a few people forgot this was an audition and not a performance. Then when the climax came and Jekyll became Hyde, a shudder went around the room. The voice Jhison used for Hyde was one they’d all heard before, but it seemed slightly different this time; darker, more villainous, as though perfectly tailored to the character. When the song finished, time stood still for a few minutes, before clapping could be heard. Then all at once as though a spell had been broken, the room was filled with applause.
Jhison took a few deep breaths, then bowed, reveling in the applause.
Mr. Neverember stood up, walking towards Jhison, “Well done Jhison. Frankly I’d give you the part now and save everyone the trouble, but unfortunately rules are rules. Please go have a seat.”
Jhison nodded and returned to his seat as Mr.Nevermeber turned back to the class, “Now I know it might feel daunting following that performance, but who would like to go next?”
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And so it went. For the remainder of the class period, student’s went up and performed their auditions. There were many noteworthy performances: Savah’s rendition of “Bring on the Men’ was so upbeat it had the class on their feet by the end of it, Illusandra performing the ‘I’d get you anything’ monologue from ‘Monster’ had most of the class in tears and while it technically broke the rules since none of the named characters sang in it, Beetle’s performance of ‘Bitch, Bitch, Bitch’ had everyone in stitches by the end. By the end of class a little more than half of the students had gone.
Jhison was smiling throughout the whole of the auditions, ‘Everyone here is performing at their best and it means the world to me even if they aren’t doing it for me.’
After the last person had gone Mr. Neverember stood up and faced the class, “Alright, and with our last performance for the day I’d ask everyone to please relocate downstairs to help get ready for the open auditions. Also I say this for Ari’s sake as much as my own, please don’t touch the mic’s, you know how particular she gets about them and I really don’t feel like dealing with a half hour lecture from her.”
The class grimaced, Ari was very protective of the equipment in the main theater and it often showcased why she was a Robotics major. Though for how particular she was about them her mastery over the equipment was instrumental and many in the class and club felt that without her the club wouldn’t be half as successful as it was today. Though they agreed with Mr. Neverember, they didn’t want to get a lecture from her any more than he wanted to hear it.
Jhison followed the rest of the class down to the main theater, but went outside the Hall once they got to the first floor. He waited for a few minutes, then waived as he saw Kesta approaching. He jogged over to her, picking her up into a hug and spinning her once he reached her.
Kesta laughed, “I take it your audition went well?”
Jhison placed her back on the ground, “I nailed it, Mr. Neverember essentially gave me the part right after.”
Kesta wrapped her arms around him, “I’m so glad Starlight.”
They stood there in an embrace, enjoying each other's company, when suddenly, “Hey lovebirds!”
The two looked over to the door of the Theater Hall, seeing Ari shouting at them, “Either get in here or get a room, we’ve got auditions to criticize remember?”
Jhison quietly sighed, “On our way.”
Breaking the embrace the couple entered the Theater Hall and made their way into the main theater where the rest of the club was already set up; sitting on one side of the theater, notebooks out, ready to make their notes on the auditioners. Said auditioners were on the other side of the theater and a quick glance showed an array of emotions, from fear to excitement.
Jhison and Kesta took a seat at the back of where the student’s sat, trying not to disturb the rest of the students.
After a few minute’s Mr. Neverember walked on stage, “Good afternoon everyone. My name is Mr. Neverember, though I’m sure you knew that, and I welcome you to the first day of auditions.” Mr. Neverember paused as a round of applause went out, “Now, I’m sure you’re all ready to begin, but I wish to cover a few ground rules so that we can do this quickly and efficiently.”
Mr. Neverember pointed to stage right, “Over here, we have our head tech Ari. She’ll be tasked with getting you mic’d for your audition, please be cooperative with her and let her run her checks so that we can hear you properly. Now during auditions I ask that everyone be silent until the end, any crass or rude comments will have you thrown out immediately and you will not be allowed to re-audition. Now before we begin, allow me to take a quick roll call so I know who’s here and ready to perform.”
Savah went up the stage, a clipboard in hand, “Thank you Savah, now…Therumani Khydah?”
A female Elf with dark hair wearing an emerald green shirt raised her hand, “Here.”
Mr. Neverember quickly made a note on his clipboard, “Vernon von Rapture?”
A Dhampir Male wearing flamboyant clothing raised a perfectly manicured hand, “Of course I’m here.”
Jhison cursed under his breath. Vernon tried out for every play and while his talent could not be understated, his narcissism was unmatched and he had essentially been shadow banned from plays ever since the first one he performed in, due to making three other actors and no less than five tech’s quit. Somehow it didn’t stop him from auditioning anyways, no matter how many times he didn’t get in.
Mr. Neverember moved on, “Dendrath…no last name?”
A female Aasimar with gray skin and black hair wearing a pastel purple shirt raised her hand timidly, “H-here sir, I don’t have a last name.”
“Ah, my apologies then. Now…” A few more names were called out, all of them in attendance, before Mr. Neverember gave Savah back the clipboard, “Alright, with that let us begin. Now you all signed up for a specific time slot, and the roll I just called out was made with those times in order, so Miss Therumani let’s get you mic’d up!”
Therumani proceeded on stage, was quickly mic’d by Ari and walked to the center. Mr. Neveremebr exited the stage and sat in the front row of the center seats where he’d set up a desk.
“Whenever you’re ready; name, character and song you’ll be performing please.”
And with that the auditions began.
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Auditions went smoothly; Ari mic’d everyone up effortlessly, the auditioners didn’t make a fuss, though Vernon could be seen scoffing through everyone’s performances, and every student was quite talented. Jhison quietly made his notes, barring Vernon since there was no way in the Nine Hells he was setting foot on the stage, and quite frankly there were some he hoped got the parts they were auditioning for. All too soon the last student finished their audition and the club adjourned after cleaning the stage. Jhison grabbed Kesta’s hand and they quickly left for their dorm, waving good-bye to the rest of the club on the way out.
Jhison began speaking once they’d exited the Theater Hall, “So, thoughts after seeing the process?”
Kesta chewed on her bottom lip, thinking a bit before speaking, “Still scared…but I think I can do it. Just…can you sit closer to the stage? I think if I can see you, it’ll help me calm down.”
Jhison opened his mouth to respond, then an idea struck him, “Give me a minute, I need to go check something with Mr. Neverember.”
He let go of Kesta’s hand and quickly ran back into the Theatre Hall. Entering the main theater, he quickly scanned the room, before spotting Mr. Neverember cleaning up the desk he sat at during auditions.
Running over to him, Jhison called out to him, “Mr. Neverember!”
Turning to see who was calling for him, Mr. Neverember called back, “Slow down Jhison, no need to hurt yourself.”
Jhison slowed down, “Sorry sir, just wanted to make sure I caught you before you left.”
“Well I’m here, what do you need?”
Jhison took a breath, “I’d like to ask you if I could have the key to the Theater Hall.”
Mr. Neverember raised an eyebrow, “You better have a good reason Jhison.”
Jhison stood his ground, “I want to help Kesta prepare for her audition and I think that allowing her to practice on the stage while it’s empty will help her conquer her stage fright.”
Mr. Neverember seemed to consider Jhison’s words, then called out behind him, “Ari! Are you still here?”
Ari poked her head out from offstage, “What’s up boss?”
“Are you available later tonight to watch over Jhison and Kesta while they practice here?”
Ari made a face, but seemed to be thinking, “What time and for how long?”
Jhison spoke up, “We’d only need an hour. Would six P.M work?”
Ari grimaced, but nodded, “Yeah, I’ll be good then, but I’m warning you; this better not be just an hour of you two making out.”
Jhison blushed, but nodded, “Thank you both, it means a lot to me.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “This is not a matter I take lightly Jhison, I expect nothing less than your best performance and attention in class in exchange for this favor, are we clear?”
“Yes sir, I promise you.”
“Alright, move along then.”
Jhison nodded, quickly leaving before Mr. Neverember could change his mind. He rejoined Kesta outside and she questioned him, “What was that about?”
Jhison smiled, “I just got permission from Mr. Neverember to use the stage later tonight to help you practice.”
Kesta’s eyes widened, “Oh my goodness, are you sure you should be doing that?”
“Of course, what better way to help you conquer your fear, than practicing on the stage you’ll be performing on?”
Kesta looked weary, “As long as you're sure…”
“Trust me, nothing could possibly go wrong.”
Notes:
Top 5 things people say before everything goes wrong.
Either way, we'll have to see if things do go wrong or if fate decides to smile on them. Hope to see you in two weeks.
Chapter 8: Chapter 8
Notes:
Another Bi-week another chapter. So this one actually had a little more initially planned, but I decided to save it for next chapter cause this one was getting a little long. Also I'm gonna say this now: I might be moving the schedule to once a month because I just got a job and it combined with school is going to take up the time I'd have otherwise. It's not a guarantee, but I don't like it's chances of staying bi-weekly.
Nonetheless, thanks once again to my fantastic DM and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Gruff walked into practice irritated and needing to let off some steam. Class bugged him, tutoring annoyed him (though Feru’ma was nice enough) and the looming threat of auditions culminated in him needing to throw someone onto a mat. He entered the locker room designated for wrestling practice and started to change into his running gear. While lacing up his shoes, Nathmar and Oak entered, seeming to be mid conversation.
Gruff picked up on what Nathmar was saying, “So I should give him those?”
Gruff smirked, talking with Oak and asking about a him? Seemed he’d called in the cavalry when it came to flowers.
Gruff finished lacing up his shoes as he spoke up, “Gonna ask Folgrand out?”
Nathmar looked at Gruff, not seeming to have noticed him earlier, and rubbed the back of his neck, “Um…yeah. Figured I’d ask Oak about what flowers to give him when I did.”
Oak spoke up, “I keep telling him not to worry too much since most people don’t know flower meanings, but he’s insistent on getting the right ones.”
Nathmar groaned exasperated, “Look, I just don’t want to give him something cliché like Roses alright? And on the off chance he does know their meanings, I don’t wanna give something that means like…’You’re a terrible person’.”
Oak snickered, “Funny you bring up Roses then, cause yellow ones are the ones you give someone when you’re jealous or say your love for them has decreased.”
“See? That’s why I’m worried.”
Oak sighed, “Dude we talked about it, just get him some pink Camellia’s okay? They mean you’re longing for them and that’s what you’re doing yeah?”
Nathmar ran a hand over his face, “Yeah…yeah. Okay, I’ll get those for him. I’ll ask him out tomorrow too since it’s Friday. You know where I can get them, Oak?”
Oak opened their locker, “Actually on second thought, leave that to me. You just focus on not throwing up when you do ask him out, yeah?”
“Nah Nath wouldn’t do that. He’s way too smooth for that.” Gruff said, sarchasm dripping from his lips.
Nathmar flipped him off and Gruff laughed as he left the locker room, heading for the gymnasium built for the wrestling team. The university made sure every team had adequate space to practice in and for the wrestlers that meant a 25,000 square foot gymnasium cut in half, one half with five competition rings set up, and the other empty allowing for space for stretching, dynamic exercises and On Your Own technique practice. Gruff entered and saw Coach Galoril and Assistant Coach Marinon stretching in the corner and having a conversation. Galoril and Marinon were both student’s at the university that were stars in their own right. The Goliath and Minotaur were the best wrestlers of their time and when they graduated they were both offered a job by the headmaster to be coaches to help teach the future generation, jobs they readily accepted.
Gruff started to walk over to his usual spot to start stretching but Coach Galoril called out to him, “Ah Seir, come here for a minute will you?”
Seir, meaning Victory, was the name given to Gruff by the Coach. It was a tradition in the club, you were called Ettin or runt until you earned a name reflective of your achievements or personality. The Coach liked to use it as a bonding tool.
Gruff jogged over to where the Coaches were, “What’s up Coach?”
Coach Galoril smiled, “Just wanted to see how you were holding up with all this drama club business.”
Gruff blushed in embarrassment, quickly glancing around to see if anyone else might have heard him, “I’d rather not talk about it Coach.”
Coach Galoril scoffed, “Come now Seir, there’s no one else here, and I just wanted to make sure you were adjusting well.”
Flashbacks to the club yesterday flew through his mind and he fought to keep the scowl off his face, “I’m fine and it’s fine. Can we drop it now?”
Coach Galoril seemed like he wanted to press, but Coach Marinon saved him, “Yes, go ahead and stretch Gruff.”
Gruff turned around before Coach Galoril could stop him and headed to his usual spot to stretch. After a few minutes Nathmar and Oak entered and took positions near him. After a few more minutes most of the team had shown up and Coach Galoril called out to all of them, “Alright Huslyd, let’s head outside and do our lap around the building.” With that the team quickly filed outside and began their run around the 185 thousand square foot building.
It didn’t take Gruff more than twenty minutes and he wasn’t struggling too badly with breathing, though Nathmar and Oak didn’t seem to be able to say the same today.
Gruff smirked as they finished, “Rough day today?”
Oak just nodded, not offering any excuse. Nathmar on the other hand spoke up, out of breath, “Got a bit on my mind, alright?”
Gruff chuckled, “Remember, just as long as I don’t have to hear it.” With that he entered the main entrance to the gymnasium to the complaints of Nathmar.
Eventually all of the team finished the run and gathered back in the wrestlers gym. Once Coach Galoril saw them all he called out to the room, “Alright, let’s begin with our OYO drills. You know what you need to work on so I’ll let you do that for fifteen minutes. Begin.”
Gruff started working on his shoots, grabbing and hoisting someone up had never been a problem for him, but getting low enough to get through someone’s guard had been. Starting low, he dashed forward leading with his left leg and quickly brought his right one forward once his left knee hit the ground, thrusting his arms forward against a phantom opponent. He trained that for five minutes, rotating which leg he led with every other attempt, then started working on his standups. It happened very rarely that someone was able to get behind him on the ground, but when it did he often found himself struggling to break the hold. Starting with his hands and knees on the ground, he brought up his left arm and leg in front of him at the same time, getting into a kneeling position and holding his arm out in front of him at a ninety degree angle. Doing it again with the other side of his body, he trained on that for another five minutes. Finally he decided to work on his drop steps. He had no problem forcing people to the ground, but he figured it couldn’t hurt to practice the technique. Leaning forward at about a twenty degree angle he brought his arms up, as if he’d locked arms with someone else, then leading with his left side, he took a knee and grappled his phantom opponent’s right thigh. Then he brought his leg back up into a wide stance, stepped behind his left leg with his right and mimed picking up the opponent with his hip and leaning forward to flip them onto their back. He finished the fifteen minutes with that drill, alternating sides every attempt.
Once the fifteen minutes were up Coach Marinon called out, “Alright everyone gather around.”
The team quickly gathered, “Alright, find someone here around your weight class and do another thirty minutes of training with them. Make sure you both get a chance to lead the training.” Gruff made eye contact with Oak, who nodded back and Gruff led them to his spot.
Facing Oak, Gruff asked, “You wanna start us off?”
Oak shook their head and motioned for Gruff to go ahead, “Alright, I practiced this a bit earlier, but I wanna work on my drop steps a bit more, think it’ll go better with a partner.”
Oak nodded again, holding their arms up for Gruff to grapple. Gruff grabbed the offered arms, then proceeded to perform the same moves he’d practiced earlier, but with the added weight of Oak and with them fighting back, it was much more difficult as the Earth Genasi was quite heavy. Still Gruff was able to perform the flip and afterwards helped Oak back to their feet. After that they went back and forth going over different techniques and before either knew it the thirty minutes had passed.
Coach Galoril got everyone’s attention, “Alright, let’s move over to the rings and start our practice rounds.” The team quickly made their way over, always excited to practice on the rings. Once everyone made their way over Coach Galoril spoke up, “Alright, today we’re going to only have two people wrestle at a time, that way Marinon and I can offer more tailored advice, you know to make sure your style fits you properly still.” The team groaned with the stray chuckle…there it was, the first of surely many puns and Dad jokes to come.
“Boooo. Get off the stage!” Nathmar said, chuckling.
The Goliath only smiled, “Oh come on Huslyd, I feel that one was more than sew-sew.”
Turnan spoke up, “Gods I wish I had a tomato to throw right now.”
Coach Galoril raised an eyebrow, “Oh really, Skold? If you’ve got a problem with my jokes, I’d be more than willing to hear them in the ring.”
Coach Marinon put a hand on Coach Galoril’s shoulder, “Alright Bror, that’s enough.” turning to the team, “Alright, we’ve already paired you all up with someone who’s style exploits a weakness we’ve noticed in previous practices. There might be a bit of a weight discrepancy for a few of them, but we feel the difference isn’t enough to tip the match in the heavier person’s favor. So to begin, let’s have Gruff and Turnan start us off.”
Gruff scowled, knowing exactly what weakness Turnan could exploit, despite being in the same weight class Turnan was surprisingly quick and used that speed to get behind his opponents and take them down before they could grapple him. Though that only worked if he didn’t get caught and that’s where Gruff came in…if he could get a hand on Turnan it was essentially over since there was no way Turnan could break Gruff’s grip once he got ahold of him.
Stepping onto the mat and facing Turnan Gruff prepared by crouching, ready to launch himself at Turnan once the match started. Turnan crouched as well, though not nearly as deep, ready to dodge any attempt at grappling Gruff might try.
Coach Marinon took his position on the far side of the ring with Coach Galoril directly across from him. Coach Marinon put his hand between the two, then pulled it out yelling, “Begin.”
As soon as he got the word, Gruff lunged at Turnan, arms wide to catch him before he could get away, but Turnan dodged under his left arm and quickly got behind Gruff. Using Gruff’s momentum against him, Turnan wrapped his arms around Gruff’s midsection and drove him to the ground. Gruff fell to his hands and knees trying to keep his guard up so Turnan couldn’t attempt to flip him over. Turnan began trying to sweep Gruff’s legs out from under him and make any attempt Gruff tried to recover weaker and Gruff knew it wouldn’t be long before Turnan closed out the match if he didn’t get up soon.
‘Alright then, time to put practice to performance.’ Gruff thought.
With effort, Gruff started to bring his left arm and leg up like he did during practice, but Turnan seemed to predict he’d try that and brought his own leg up to block Gruff’s attempt. Stopped before he could even really begin, Gruff lost his balance and felt his left leg fall flat against the mat.
“Gotcha,” he heard Turnan say.
It happened faster than Gruff could process, he felt Turnan adjust his stance then his left leg slipped through the gap between Gruff and the mat and Turnan used his leg as leverage to flip Gruff onto his back, then used the left side of his body to keep Gruff’s right leg suspended in the air as his weight transferred and used his right to keep Gruff’s left leg pinned to the mat. Once he’d completed that, bringing Gruff’s left with him, he leaned forward and used his right forearm to hold Gruff to the mat.
Marinon started counting “One! Two!”
‘Not yet.’
Gruff felt it then, the anger that made him stronger, that made him the star wrestler. Smirking, Gruff grabbed onto Turnan’s forearm and reached under the leg that he was using for support. Then, using every bit of strength he had, Gruff twisted to his left, ignoring the pain he felt in his legs as he did so, and threw Turnan to the side. Once he’d done so, he quickly mounted Turnan and put him in a triangle choke with Turnan’s right arm hanging uselessly in the air. Despite Turnan’s best efforts, he couldn’t break the hold and Coach Marinon quickly started counting again, “One! Two! Three! Match over!”
Gruff released his hold on Turnan and stood up, offering a hand to Turnan once he did. Turnan accepted it and Gruff helped him to his feet.
“Damn it, I almost had you.”
Gruff smirked, feeling the rage start to fade, “Maybe next time, but Coach doesn't call me Seir for nothing.”
Turnan smirked right back, “Heh, one day I’ll take that name from you.” Turnan held his hand out for Gruff to shake and Gruff took it, giving Turnan a firm shake.
Coach Galoril clapped a bit, “Well done you two. You both fought admirably and I saw it going either way. Now let’s go over what you need to work on.”
Coach Galoril looked at Gruff, “Seir, your strength saved you today, but you definitely need to work on breaking out of holds from behind. Against someone with similar strength, you would have lost. You might want to consider practicing more with Turnan to improve your standups.”
Gruff nodded, “Got it.”
Coach Galoril then turned to Turnan, “As for you Skold, your speed is your greatest asset, but you leave yourself open to grapples from underneath once you bring them to the mat. Work on trying to close up your stance and leave fewer openings, yes?”
Turnan nodded, “Yes sir.”
Coach Galoril clapped the two of them on the shoulders, “Very good. Go ahead and sit down.” The two of them quickly sat down as Coach Galoril turned around to look at the other wrestlers, “Alright next we have…”
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Practice continued on from there, with everyone getting paired up against their polar opposite in wrestling style. Some matches were quick like Nathmar, whose everchanging grappling techniques helped him conquer Grom who couldn’t keep up with how many different ways Nathmar was able to grapple and bring him to the mat, while others were more drawn out like Oak’s, whose ability to stand strong like a mighty oak tree prevented Atlas from moving him even an inch despite Atlas’s almost supernatural strength. By the time everyone had finished, practice was over and Gruff was ready to hit the hay. He quickly changed in the locker room and waited outside for Nathmar since they usually walked to their dorm together after practice.
Nathmar came out, a sheen of sweat from practice still visible, “Whew, damn Grom’s tough.”
“Seemed like you had a pretty easy time to me.”
Nathmar shook his head, “Nah, if he’d laid a single hand on me and I wasn’t able to break out, that'd have been it for me. I usually don’t have to move through styles that quickly. Yours though, that was something to see. I really thought Turnan had you.”
“Please Vind,” Gruff said, using Coach Galoril’s name for Nathmar, “The day Turnan has me is the day I stop drinking aka: a day that’s never coming.”
Nathmar laughed, mock bowing to Gruff, “Oh yes mighty Seir, please do go on about how great you are.”
Gruff smirked, “I mean if you insist.”
Nathmar shoved Gruff, “Knock it off you ass. Hey race you to the dorm, winner gets to pick dinner tonight.”
Gruff’s face turned serious, “You’re on.”
With that they both started sprinting for the dorm room, keeping an even pace with each other across campus. They’d almost made it to the dormitory when they heard a shrill whistle that had them both covering their ears.
Nathmar fell to his knees, “Fuck!”
A calm, smug voice piped up, “Language Mr. Romere.”
Gruff cursed under his breath and turned to see a tall Firbolg, wearing the uniform indicative of school security, and a smug smile on her face.
The firbolg turned to Gruff, “I heard that just fine Mr. Sharptooth and I’ll issue the same warning to you.”
Nathmar scowled, picking himself up off the ground, “Really Ms. Wildwood? The whistle for running out in the open?”
Ms. Wildwood continued to smile, “You know as well as I do the rule is no running whatsoever. And when you trip and crack your head open on the concrete cause you were running, don’t come crying to me. Now…”
Ms. Wildwood reached into her uniform's breast pocket and produced a small notepad and pen. Opening it up she turned to a specific page and looked over it, “Mr. Romere, this is your second offense I’ve got on record and for Mr. Sharptooth…” Ms. Wildwood flipped to a different page, “This is your tenth offense. Normally I’d drag you down to Headmaster Safahr, but she’s already gone home for the day. So instead I’ll schedule an appointment for you to see her tomorrow before classes and we can go over your behavior then.”
Gruff scowled, “You really think she’ll care about us running outside?”
Ms. Wildwood’s smile didn’t fall at all, “Oh no, I highly doubt she’ll care about that…but I think she will care about the number of offenses. Besides, I’ve been given special instructions to report any and all of your violations directly to her, in fact all of campus security has.”
Gruff’s eyes widened and he stole a glance at Nathmar who looked confused, “Why would…”
Gruff cut him off, “Fine, I’ll be there. Happy?”
The smile still didn’t fall, “Ecstatic.” she turned on her heel and began walking away, “Have a good night boys.”
Gruff grumbled, “Bitch.”
Nathmar spoke up, “Hey, what was Ms. Wildwood on about?”
Gruff shook his head, “Doesn't matter.” He turned and walked into the dormitory before Nathmar could stop him. Entering the dormitory he dashed for the stairs trying to delay the inevitable conversation with Nathmar, but Nathmar was right on his heels, “Hey! Get back here!”
Gruff just barely was able to make it into the dorm and lock the door behind him before Nathmar could catch up to him. He heard pounding on the door before the sound of jingling keys reached his ears. Before Nathmar could get inside Gruff dashed to his room and locked it. It wouldn’t stop Nathmar from trying to get Gruff to talk, but he could ignore it a lot easier with a door between them. Case in point, Gruff quite easily decided to ignore the loud banging on his door and the shouts from Nathmar telling him to open up. After a few minutes of that it seemed like Nathmar gave up trying to get Gruff to open up and the dorm became quieter. Then after a few more minutes…he smelled it. Not a bad smell…no it was one that meant Nathmar was cooking.
Gruff’s stomach began to groan, ‘Shut up you.’ Gruff’s stomach proceeded to growl even more in retaliation. The smell started to grow stronger and Gruff recognized it, ‘Fuck, he’s making shrimp isn’t he?’ Nathmar hailed from the countryside and learned a long time ago how to cook, being quite proficient at it and often used it as a way to get Gruff to talk. Unfortunately for Gruff it was working, he couldn’t ignore his body’s demands anymore and started making his way to the living area and by proxy the kitchen.
Nathmar noticed him enter, “Oh hi Gruff,” he said with a false sweetness in his tone and a fake smile on his face, “I was just making some food, were you hungry?”
Gruff grumbled, “What’s it gonna take?”
Nathmar dropped the smile, “You’re gonna sit at the counter, and when I get my answers then you can have some.”
Gruff didn’t like it, but his body’s needs overcame his pride and he took a seat at the counter facing the kitchen.
Nathmar nodded, “Good, now let’s begin your interrogation with; what the hell was that back outside?”
“Ms. Wildwood being a bitch as usual, next question.”
Nathmar scowled at him, “Nice try, I’m talking about that apparently you’re in hot enough water that any infraction you make now requires an immediate report to the headmaster.”
Gruff sighed, “You want the long version or the short version?”
“Short, the shrimp will be done in a few minutes and I’m not looking to burn them.”
Gruff held up a hand, raising a finger with each point, “Got in one too many fights off campus, grades are slipping a bit, at risk of losing my scholarship, got a tutor and I’m essentially on troublemakers watch.”
Nathmar paused, “...wait that’s it?”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, “I mean if you consider me possibly losing my scholarship ‘it’ then yeah.”
“Dude, with how you and Ms. Wildwood were acting, I thought you’d killed someone. Like you’re still not in a good situation, but I don’t think it required you to act like if someone found out you’d be arrested or some shit like that.”
Gruff scoffed, “Whatever, do I get shrimp yet?”
Nathmar shook his head, “Not quite yet, I’ve got one last question for you.” Nathmar pulled out his phone and opened it up, then turned it towards Gruff and held it up to him, “Care to explain this?”
The picture was of Gruff earlier in the day taking a picture of the play poster. Gruff lunged for Nathmar’s phone, but Nathmar pulled it away faster than Gruff expected, “Talk Gruff.”
Gruff groaned, “...part of the deal I have with the headmaster is I have to audition for the play. She said if I can’t use my time ‘productively’ then she’s more than willing to give me something to fill it with.”
Nathmar took a minute to process this information, “So what I’m hearing…is that you’re a drama kid now?”
Gruff face planted onto the counter, “You didn't have to say it like that.”
Nathmar chuckled and started to take the shrimp out of the pan he was using. After putting an equal amount onto two plates, he placed one on the counter next to Gruff alongside some homemade fry sauce, “I mean I’m just saying it how everyone on the team’s gonna be saying it, just nicer.”
Gruff sat up and started to dig in, “What’re you talking about?” he said with shrimp still in his mouth.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full. And you know there’s no way this doesn't make its way around campus right? Even if the rest of the drama club swore to secrecy, I doubt the other auditioners will be as kind. I give it a week before everyone in the school knows, if that.”
Gruff groaned, “That’s the last thing I need right now.” He finished up the plate Nathmar gave him, got up from the counter and dropped his dish in the sink, “I’m gonna go for a walk, I need to clear my head.”
Nathmar nodded, “Stay safe, yeah?”
Gruff waved him off, then left the dorm room, his keys still in his pocket since he didn’t put them on the hook in his haste to get away from Nathmar. Stepping outside the dormitory, he took a minute to appreciate the cool evening air, then began walking aimlessly.
After about fifteen minutes of walking he heard something behind him, “Mrow” Turning around Gruff saw a large orange coon cat behind him, lying lazily on the concrete and looking at him. Gruff was confused, he didn’t know of anyone having a pet on campus and a quick glance over the cat showed that it didn’t have a collar, so Gruff figured it might be a stray. Gruff walked over to it, holding out a hand to not scare it. The cat didn’t seem to mind him and brushed up against the offered hand, purring happily.
“What’re you doing out here little guy?” Gruff said, knowing he wouldn’t get an answer. The cat decided instead to get up and start walking away from him. Gruff considered letting it go, but he figured he didn’t have anything better to do and started to follow it. The cat didn’t really leave the campus, it more just led Gruff on its own version of the tour he received when he was first offered a spot in the school.
“You certainly know your way around the place don’t ya?” The cat only answered with a meow, and Gruff decided to see where the cat had led him. He frowned when he noticed it was near the Theater Hall, the flashbacks from earlier deciding to resurface. He’d almost decided to go home to the dorm when he noticed something. He noticed a group of students approaching the Hall and upon closer inspection he saw it was Jhison, Kesta and Ari.
‘What the hell are those three doing here?’ He noticed Ari pull something out her pocket, a key he presumed, and open the door to the Hall. He watched them walk inside and further into the building. Surprisingly the cat followed them, and since he was following the cat he followed it. The cat reached the door and started to paw at it and Gruff didn’t know whether or not to let it inside, but his curiosity won out over the part of him saying he didn’t care. He opened the door as quietly as possible and both he and the cat entered the Hall.
‘Now let’s see what you're all up to.’
Notes:
Fun times ahead. For those wondering what the words Galoril (and by extension the rest of the team) used, they were words pulled off the Giant Dictionary on the Forgotten Realms wiki. I gave some definitions in the chapter but I'll quickly give the rest in order of appearence,
Huslyd: Family
Skold: Shield
Bror: Brother
Vind: Wind
That's all for this chapter, hope to see you in two weeks, though I hope you understand if it turns out to be a month.
Chapter 9: Chapter 9
Notes:
Well well well, look what we have here; a new chapter. Unfortunately it's as I feared and the updates will probably be moved to once a month, but I'll give myself, and possibly you, a bit of hope and say my new schedule is going to be that I'll post a new chapter either two weeks or a month after the last one. That way if I find myself with more free time than expected I can post but if time marches on without me I still have a fallback.
Either way, customary thanks to my DM for once again being a fantastic beta and I do hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Starlight, I know you cleared this with Mr. Neverember and I’ve asked this about fifty other times, but are you sure we should be doing this?”
Jhison tried to hold back the sigh that threatened to escape his throat. While he loved Kesta to the stars and back, even he had to admit she could be a bit of a worrywart at times.
Ari laughed a bit, “Even if he wasn’t sure, take the fact that I’m here as your assurance. Trust me there are a lot of things I’d rather be doing right now, but Raenar asked me to and I didn’t have a good enough reason on the spot to say no.”
Jhison smirked, “Your generosity truly knows no bounds Ari.”
“I know, but keep praising me anyways.”
Jhison let the sigh escape, “Seriously though Ari, thank you. It means a lot that you’re willing to help us.”
Ari wrinkled her nose, “Ew affection, keep that shit away from me.” Ari turned away, but Jhison noticed the small smile on her face. That was the deal with Ari, she didn’t like to show it but she did care about the people in the club.
Following Ari, Kesta and Jhison entered the main theater. While it didn’t have any skylights to make the room darker, the night sky behind them and the main lights being turned off made it feel darker than it was. The group all walked to the stage guided by the dim lights sitting beside every other row of seats with Ari turning on the lights that focused on the stage once they’d reached it.
Ari turned to face them, “Alright you two, let’s cover the basics. No making out, no being gross, and no bothering me unless it’s tech related, yeah? The aux cord for the stage is at the entrance to stage right with the volume controls right next to it. Now, I’m going to go sit in the stands and mess around on my phone. Again do not bother me unless absolutely necessary.” with that Ari turned on her heel and went off into the shadows, visible but heavily obscured.
Kesta called after her, “Thank you Ari,” she then turned to look at Jhison, “Well? Shall we begin?”
Jhison nodded, “So I know we talked it about earlier today, but did you settle on a song?”
Kesta looked a little nervous, “Um, ‘Tightrope’ from ‘Greatest Showman’.”
Jhison raised an eyebrow, “That’s a fine choice, so what’s got you so nervous?”
Kesta tried to avoid eye contact, “I’m…worried it might be too…’basic’ for lack of a batter term.”
Jhison smiled, “That’s the stage fright talking. It’s going to attack every decision you make up here, but that's why we’re here right? Right now the only people who can judge you are me and Ari and she knows how bad it can be. She wouldn’t try and make it worse on purpose. Here, let's try something real quick.”
Jhison walked behind Kesta, put his hands on her waist and turned her towards the chairs, “Look out there, what do you see?”
Kesta took a moment before answering, “I can’t really see anything with all these lights.”
“Exactly and do you know what you’ll see come opening night? The exact same thing. I mean you know Ari’s out there, but do you see her?”
Kesta shook her head, “No.”
“That’s the beauty of all these lights, they make it hard to see anything outside of the stage, especially when your attention will be focused on another actor or the song you’re singing. So if you can perform here and take down the audition, you’ll be more than ready for the real deal.”
Kesta turned to face him, “You're sure, Starlight?”
“Of course I am. All you have to do is trust me, can you do that?”
Kesta grabbed the hand that had the ring on it, “Of course,” she took a deep breath, “Alright, let’s do this.”
Jhison leaned down and gave Kesta a quick kiss, hearing a gag from Ari somewhere in the shadows, then let go of her hand. He went over to the auxiliary cord and pulled out his phone. After plugging it in he opened the phone and opened the app he kept his music in, pulling up ‘Tightrope’, then changed his mind and put on ‘Up’ by Olly Murs.
Kesta looked confused as the song began, “Starlight, this isn't the song.”
Jhison smiled as he adjusted the volume so he could hear her and the song, pausing it once he liked the volume, “I think we should start by getting you acclimated to the environment. Plus an upbeat song like this should help to get you more comfortable on the stage.” Jhison smirked and turned to look out at the stands, “Sorry Ari, but it’s about to get gross.”
He couldn’t quite place where she was, but he heard the “Fuck you” loud and clear. Jhison chuckled as he began the song again, as well as putting it on repeat, then walked back to center stage where Kesta was. The opening bars of the song filled the room and soon the lyrics followed. Jhison began to sing the first verse, moving his body to the beat as he did. Soon the first came to an end and the chorus began, Jhison halting his voice to let Kesta take over, but she let the moment pass. Jhison stopped moving and came a bit closer to Kesta.
“Still scared?”
Kesta couldn’t do anything but nod.
“Why? You know the words, we’ve sung this together plenty of times at home, so what is it?”
Kesta muttered something that Jhison couldn’t hear, “My Silver Bullet?”
She spoke up again loud enough that Jhison could hear her, “I’m a bit embarrassed. It’s one thing to do a duet like this when we’re alone, but it’s different when it’s in front of someone else.”
Jhison smiled, it was just like her to be embarrassed. As much as she enjoyed showing affection to him in public, there were some things she felt were a little too personal to share.
‘Seems like this made the list.’ Jhison thought. Out loud he said, “It’s alright Kesta. Here, how about you just dance with me and when you feel comfortable you can join in, deal?” Jhison held out a hand to her.
Kesta seemed hesitant, but took his hand. The song had begun again and this time Jhison started to dance with Kesta, holding her like it was a ballroom dance but moving a bit more loosely and a tad bouncy to fit the beat. He sang while they started to move around the stage, Jhison dipping Kesta and spinning her around when he felt it appropriate, but the song ended without her joining in. The song repeated once more without her joining him and Jhison nearly gave up hope when he heard her start to join him on the final round of the chorus the fourth time, a smile on her face. The song started again and this time she sang the chorus and harmony like she usually did when they sang the song at home. He could still hear the nervousness in her voice, but over time it became much dimmer.
When the song finished, he quickly ran over to stop the song. Once it was paused he turned to face her smiling, “That was wonderful Kesta. How do you feel?”
Kesta smiled shyly, “A little better. During the last time it felt like we were at home rather than on stage. It was nice.”
“That’s wonderful. Do you think you’re comfortable doing ‘Tightrope’ now, or do you want to try another duet?”
Kesta looked a little bashful, “Could we…could we do ‘Rewrite the Stars’ first?”
Jhison tried to fight off the excitement he felt hearing her say that, failing miserably, “Of course.”
He quickly found the song in his favorite playlist and started to play it.
------------
Gruff hadn’t known what to expect when he followed the trio, but it certainly wasn’t this. He honestly didn’t know why he was still watching, but there was something strangely mesmerizing about what he was seeing. He hadn’t expected to see this side of Jhison or Kesta, though he hadn’t known them for very long so maybe this is what they were like all the time. Either way he watched as Kesta and Jhison began doing their own little show while a song he recognized only through social media played through the speakers. He hated to admit it, but he understood why Jhison was often the face for the plays: his singing voice was really good and he seemed to fade into the story he and Kesta were telling. Kesta wasn’t quite as good in the acting department, but she could definitely keep up in the singing department. He didn’t know how long he was watching for, but he was interrupted when he felt something brush his leg.
Looking down he saw the cat that he’d followed earlier that he’d lost once they’d made it into the Theater Hall, “There you are. Where’d you get off to?”
“He was probably trying to get at the treats we usually have around the Hall.”
Gruff turned, not expecting to be caught, and saw Ari behind him with a smirk on her face, “Fancy seeing you here after hours.”
“How’d you know I was here?”
“I didn’t at first, but once that little guy came up to me I figured someone let him in behind us. Work long enough in the theater and your night eyes get pretty good so it wasn’t too long before I saw you. You been enjoying the show?”
Gruff scoffed, “Not really.”
Ari’s smirk never left her face, “Uh huh. Well then, you care to tell me why you’re here?”
“I don’t have to tell you shit.”
“Not an untrue statement, but I’d really hate to have to go grab Ms. Wildwood and tell her someone unauthorized was here in the Theater Hall.”
Gruff’s eyes narrowed, “You wouldn’t.”
“I’m known as quite the petty bitch around here, so I wouldn’t test that theory.”
Gruff debated it in his head for a bit, but he didn’t take Ari for a bluffer, “Fine. I was taking a walk when I saw the cat laying around campus. I didn’t have anything better to do so I followed it and it led me here. Saw you three come in and the cat followed after you so I decided to keep going. Now you.”
Ari quirked an eyebrow, “Don’t recall that being part of the deal, but sure. Kesta’s got really bad stage fright so Jhison asked Raenar, aka Mr. Neverember, to use the stage after hours to help her get over it.”
Gruff’s eyebrow raised in shock, “He’s got that much pull in the club?”
Ari chuckled, “He didn’t need a lot in the first place. Raenar’s pretty easy going, do your part for the club and he’ll let you get away with quite a bit. But there’s a dark side to that coin, because he’ll just as quickly send you packing if you’re a detriment.”
Gruff got flashbacks to Mr. Neverembers words when he first met him, realizing there was quite a bit of truth to Ari’s words. He was going to say something, but the cat decided it didn’t enjoy being ignored and started to ram its head into Gruff’s shin. Gruff scowled as he looked down, then scooped the cat up, it looking fairly small in his arms.
Ari looked shocked, “He doesn't let anyone pick him up, how’d you do that?”
Gruff shrugged, “I don’t know.”
Ari let out a low whistle, “He’s been one of the more aggressive strays we’ve ‘adopted’,” she said making air quotes around adopted. Then a lightbulb seemed to go off over her head, “You know we hadn’t gotten around to naming him yet, what do you say? Wanna give him a name?”
Gruff looked down at the cat in his arms, purring quietly, “...Hull.”
“That’s an interesting name. Why Hull?”
Gruff shrugged, “Just seemed to fit.”
Ari looked skeptical, but decided to let it go. She took a minute to listen, then scoffed, “Gods, I’m pretty sure it’s like the fifth time this song has played. Give me a minute.” She walked into the main theater, then began to yell, “Alright, I let you guys have your fun for the first song, but if I have to hear this song one more time I will throw you both out.”
Gruff saw the two of them startle and break apart both of them looking embarrassed. Kesta spoke up, “Sorry Ari.”
“Yeah yeah, you can apologize by actually working on the song you came here to work on.” With that Ari came back out into the hallway, “So since you’re here you might as well hang out with me, unless you have some place you have to be?” Ari started to walk away, the order to follow easily implied.
Gruff thought on it for a minute, but he figured it’d be better to get to know the people he was being forced to work with instead of going back to his dorm and being bored. Decision made he followed behind Ari, the newly named Hull still in his arms.
He followed Ari up a set of stairs connected to the main theater he hadn’t noticed before. Once they’d reached the top he found himself in a room filled with technical equipment, none of which he recognized, that looked out into the main theater.
Ari looked behind her, “Don’t let him out of your arms if you can help it, it’ll be a nightmare tomorrow to get them reset if he messes them up and if I have to reset these I at least want to yell at someone.”
Gruff looked around bewildered, “What is this place and what’s all this stuff?”
Ari beamed and Gruff couldn’t help but feel like he’d just opened a Pandora’s box of sorts, “This my new friend is the holy land of the theater…the Control Booth. Without this place the drama club would be nothing.”
Gruff looked at her skeptically, “Uh huh. Wouldn’t the club be nothing without…you know…the actors?”
Ari waved him off, “Oh sure they play their part, but think about this: The sound you were hearing from the speakers earlier, how was the quality?”
Gruff thought for a moment. It was better quality than most audio he’d ever heard from speakers before, “Pretty good, better than I usually hear at least.”
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg, here let me show you.” Ari went over to a board with a bunch of dials, switches and what looked like sliding nubs with a small microphone set up next to it. She pushed a button at the base of the mic and spoke into it, the sound reverberating around the room they were in and the theater, “Hey guys, can you turn that off for a sec? I just want to do a couple checks, make sure everythings good for tomorrow.”
He heard the affirmations from the couple on stage as Jhison went off stage to turn off the music. After the music was off, Ari turned to the board and started to move the nubs a little. Once she deemed them correct she walked over to something Gruff did recognize; a stereo, though it was bigger than any other one he’d seen before. She messed with a few dials on it then hit what he assumed to be the play button. The sound he heard coming from the speakers this time was by far an improvement. It felt like wearing a pair of high quality headphones, but it didn’t overpower his senses like he thought it would. He looked at Ari who had a smirk on her face.
She turned off the music then walked back over the microphone, speaking into it again once she’d reached it, “Alright, should be good. Go back to your gross stuff.” After that she started to readjust the nubs, doing the same with the stereo when she was done with the board. When she was finished she turned to look at Gruff, “So how was that?”
Gruff tried to keep the astonishment off his face, but he was pretty sure he was failing, “How was that so different?”
“Pretty simple actually, the aux cord is hooked up to our speakers and while the speakers themselves are high quality, the setup is pretty basic, leaving room for small barely noticeable imperfections. Back here though, that stereo and the mics we have backstage are hooked up to state of the art soundboards that let us control every aspect of the sound making the music from the stereo or audio from the mics as perfect as we want it to be. That’s why this place is so important, without this place the actors couldn’t act or sing in a large area without having to yell, the music would be all over the place and no one would want to come here because it would be an unpleasant experience all around. And it doesn't just stop with back here. Lights, sets, costumes, props? All things that are necessary to a performance, but often get overlooked and disregarded. That’s why techs are the unsung heroes of theater, without them everything is just worse off.”
Gruff didn’t even try to hide the astonishment anymore, “I’d never thought about that stuff before. I just thought that theater was a bunch of people playing dress up and pretending to be someone they aren’t.”
Ari laughed, “Oh it definitely is, but like any piece of entertainment: you’ve gotta respect it to see why it’s loved.”
Gruff looked around the room, “Can you show me more?”
Ari beamed, “It would be my pleasure.”
------------
Jhison had lost track of time a while ago, far too lost in Kesta’s performance of ‘Tightrope’, but even he knew Ari should have started yelling at them to start to pack it in. But he decided to not look a gift horse in the mouth and kept working with Kesta, helping her little by little with anything she was worried about. He didn’t know how many times they had run the song, but he could see Kesta gaining confidence in her performance and he couldn’t help but smile at her progress.
As the song finished for another time Kesta quickly ran to Jhison’s phone to stop the song, “I don’t think I can improve on that anymore than I have. Thank you Starlight.”
Jhison’s face hurt from the smiling he’d been doing all night, “Of course my Silver Bullet. Now let’s-”
Kesta cut him off, “Actually Starlight…I was hoping we could do one more song before looking for Ari.”
Jhison was curious, “I’m not opposed. What song were you thinking about?”
Kesta smiled shyly, “Trust me for a second?”
“Without question.”
Kesta began to scroll through Jhison’s music library until she found the song she was looking for and when the familiar french horn’s that began ‘Take Me As I Am’ began playing through the speakers he had to contain himself from immediately running over to her and breaking Ari’s first rule, “Gods I love you.”
Kesta laughed, “I know.”
Jhison took a breath and started to sing the song he’d imagined singing with Kesta on stage for as long as he could remember. It wasn’t hard to imagine himself as Jekyll in this moment, in fact he felt as if Jekyll and him were interchangeable at this point in time, and when it was time for Kesta to take her turn she did so with gusto, something he hadn’t thought she’d have been comfortable with. As they met in center stage for the final chorus the world around them faded and all Jhison could see was the Kalashtar he’d been in love with for as long as he could remember. Memories of them together flashed by and he began to pull her in for a passionate kiss right at the end, getting an inch away from her when all of the sudden-
BEEEEEEEEP
Jhison and Kesta fell to their knees clutching their ears, the noise emanating from the speakers too much for them to bear. Only when it stopped did they feel it safe to uncover them and they did so tentatively, not knowing what caused the sound.
“Maybe next time you’ll think twice before trying to break rule number one, yeah?”
Jhison head snapped towards the control room, “Are you fucking SERIOUS ARI?”
Ari’s voice came through the speakers again, “As that heart attack you two almost had. Now turn off your music and the stage lights and I’ll meet you at the front door.”
Anger flashed through Jhison’s mind and the mental flare from earlier in the day came back, stronger than it had before. It must have been obvious because he felt Kesta’s hands on his face turning him to look at her.
Kesta looked worried, “Starlight? Are you still with me?”
Jhison attempted to take a deep breath, but the flare wouldn’t let him let go of his anger that easily, “I am,” a breath, “but I need help.”
Kesta nodded, “Of course.” She then began humming a tune that his mother had taught her. A lullaby that always kept the anger at bay. After a few moments he felt like himself again and he brought his hands up to hers and brought them to his mouth, giving them a small kiss.
Jhison sighed, “Thank you, my Silver Bullet.”
Kesta smiled, “Of course Starlight. I’ll get your phone, can you get the lights?”
Jhison nodded then stood up, moving towards where the light’s were and switching them off after giving Kesta a warning. He met up with her at the bottom of the stage and they walked hand in hand to the exit. They saw Ari waiting by the door as promised and Kesta let go of Jhison’s hand and walked over to Ari, flicking her in the forehead once she was close enough.
Ari flinched, grabbing her forehead, “OW! What the fuck?”
Kesta pointed a finger in Ari’s face, “That was for making Jhison almost have an episode.”
Ari’s face turned to guilt, “Shit…was it bad?”
Jhison shook his head, “No I was in control, but Kesta did have to help me back.”
Ari rubbed the back of her neck, “Sorry man.”
Jhison waved a hand, “Don’t worry too much about it, but I do ask that you read the room next time you want to pull a prank like that, yes?”
Ari smirked, “You know I can’t promise that.”
Kesta sighed, “You’re such a troublemaker Ari.”
Ari put on a fake pouty face, “Oh no, please don’t be mad mom.”
Kesta attempted to flick Ari again, but Ari saw it coming and dodged out of the way heading towards the door, “Can’t get me the same way twice. Now come on lovebirds, we need to get out of here before campus security finds us.”
Jhison nodded following behind Ari, Kesta meeting him half way. After they exited through the doors Ari turned around to lock them and Kesta motioned for Jhison to lean down.
Once he did, Kesta whispered in his ear, “You know…we can finish what we started back at home…Henry.”
Jhison blushed, “As you wish…Emma.”
Ari spoke up, “Y’all are not as slick as you think you are. Keep that to yourselves please and thanks.”
The couple stood up straight, blushing at having been caught.
Ari laughed, “Get out of here you horndogs. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With that Ari walked off to her own dorm, Kesta and Jhison trying to avoid being in her path due to embarrassment as they made their way towards theirs.
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Gruff entered into the dormitory, Ari having given him enough time to leave, and made his way up to his dorm. Entering the dorm he noticed the lights were all out and assumed Nathmar was in his own room sleeping. Deciding that was a good action to take he entered his own room and started to get ready for bed, Ari’s lessons at the forefront of his mind. He’d never admit it but he’d kind of enjoyed learning how all the instruments and systems worked, it reminded him of being on a ship with his parents in some ways. Maybe in another life he’d have been able to fully enjoy it, but right now he needed to focus on getting through this audition and coming out the other end with as little embarrassment as possible.
He pulled out his phone and started to look through songs in the play soundtrack that would fit for his audition. He scowled a bit, finding that Stride had very few songs that didn’t require another person or a group. However while it didn’t feature Stride he felt he could do a decent job in ‘Transformation’ at least enough to get him a part. After running through it a few times like he’d seen Kesta and Jhison do, he figured he had it down enough to pass through his audition. With that, he turned off his phone, got under the covers and closed his eyes, the transformation of a doctor into a monster running through his mind.
Notes:
So if it wasn't obvious I don't much care for tech criticism. They are the glue that hold both film and theatre together and the fact that they aren't respected as much as the actors irritates me a bit.
And with that small rant out of the way, Thank you for reading the chapter and I do hope you enjoy the next one whenever it comes out.
Chapter 10: Chapter 10
Notes:
Well it's been a month and a new chapter has arrived. My last update to this story before the new year and I think no chapter could fit better.
Thanks once again to my DM for being my ever faithful beta and I do hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Kesta was nervous as she walked towards the Theatre Hall, her breathing patterns a bit erratic. She tried to draw on the courage she’d gained last night when she’d practiced with Jhison, but the anxiety of performing and the anticipation was nerve wracking and it felt as if the courage itself had left her body. Still she walked forward, trying to gain control of herself as the Theatre Hall came into view, Jhison waiting for her by the doors. However she must not have been able to hide it well enough because Jhison’s expression grew worried.
Jhison came up to her and took her hand, “Still nervous?”
Kesta couldn’t do anything but nod.
Jhison sighed smiling, “It’s alright. I’ll be front…well not quite center, but you get the point yes?”
Kesta giggled despite herself, “I do Starlight.” She then took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Alright, let’s do this.”
Jhison nodded and led Kesta inside. Unfortunately for the couple, they had to separate to opposite sides of the theater, but they shared a kiss before they did and took their seats. Kesta took a minute to glance around, wanting to see who she'd be auditioning with. There weren’t as many people as there were the day before but there was still a good group of people. She saw a pair of tieflings, one red with white hair and long golden horns, the other purple with dark brown hair and silvered horns, a half elf with shoulder length blond hair and green dragon scales covering the right side of his face, and…
“Gruff?” Kesta said under her breath, surprised to see Gruff here this early in the process. She figured he’d want to wait till the end where the fewest people would see his audition.
‘Guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover.’ Kesta thought, smiling. She didn’t have much time for more thoughts as Mr. Neverember took the stage, Ari behind him mics ready to fit onto people.
Mr. Neverember clapped his hands together, loudly enough to draw the room's attention towards him, before speaking, “Welcome everyone to the second day of auditions.” Just as he did the day before, he waited for the applause that had begun at his words to die down before speaking again, “Now before we begin, I have a few rules I need to go over with you so that we can get through everyone quickly and efficiently.”
He motioned towards Ari, “Over here we have our head tech Ari. She’ll be responsible for getting everyone auditioning mic’d up. I ask that you allow her to do as she needs to get your properly mic’d so that we can hear you properly. Once we begin, I ask that all talking be kept to a minimum, as well as keeping any crude or crass comments to yourself, lest you find yourself asked to leave with no chance for re-audition. Any questions?” he waited a moment before moving on, “If not then allow me to call roll to make sure everyone is here.”
Savah once again came to the front of the stage and handed Mr. Neverember a clipboard, “Thank you Savah. Now…Dramosa Deifling?”
The red tiefling raised his hand, “Here sir.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, then paused as he went to say the next name “...’Dr. Dragon’?”
The half-elf raised his hand, “A stage name sir, I don’t care for others knowing my true name.”
Mr. Neverember was silent for a moment, before shrugging and moving on, “Therima Thetal?”
The other tiefling raised her hand, “Right here sir.”
Mr. Neverember smiled as he read out the next name, “Kesta Northrun?”
Kesta raised her hand timidly, “Here Mr. Neverember.”
“Glad to see it Kesta, finally…Gruff Sharptooth?”
Gruff raised his hand, but didn’t say anything,
Mr. Neverember looked up from the clipboard and nodded, before motioning to Savah and handing her the board once she arrived at the stage. He clapped his hands together before speaking, “And with that, let us begin. The roll I called out was made with your time slots in mind. So Mr. Dramosa, come on up and let’s get you mic’d.”
The tiefling male made his way towards the stage, Therima patting him on the back as he went up. Once he’d made his way to center stage Ari set upon him, quickly micing him and performing the check necessary to make sure he was heard but didn’t overwhelm their eardrums. Once she determined everything was ready she made her way to the auxiliary cord where Kesta knew she had set up a laptop with thousands of tracks preloaded.
Mr. Neverember had taken his seat in the center of the front row of seats, and seeing that Ari had left the stage began to speak, “When you’re ready; Name, character and song you’ll be performing.”
Kesta saw Dramosa take a breath before beginning, “My name is Dramosa Diefling, I’m auditioning for John Utterson and I’ll be performing ‘Wait for it’ from ‘Hamilton’.”
Quicker than most thought possible, the song began playing from the speakers. Dramosa seemed to recover quickly if he was surprised and started to sing once the opening measures passed. While his voice wasn’t the best Kesta had heard (though she knew she was biased) Dramosa was at least on par with other members of the Drama Club, and what he lacked in singing ability, he more than made up for in passion. The confidence he exhibited made Kesta think the song was personal to him and she couldn’t help but smile. Sooner than she’d expected the performance was over and she joined in the applause.
Mr. Neverember stood up, “Well done Dramosa, the passion in your voice struck a chord with me and I do hope that you join us here in the club even if you don’t get the part.”
Dramosa bowed, “Thank you sir.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “Well then, next we have Dr. Dragon. If you’ll hold on, Dramosa, while Ari grabs the mic from you.”
Dramosa nodded and the half elf began to make his way up to the stage. The process was extended by needing to retrieve the microphone from Dramosa, but only by a few minutes. Soon enough Dr. Dragon mas mic’d and Ari was once again ready to load up whatever track was requested.
Mr. Neverember had taken his seat again and spoke up once the process was complete, “Well then, whenever you’re ready; Name, character and song.”
Dr. Dragon nodded before a cocky smile grew on his face, “My name is Dr. Dragon, the character I’ll be getting is the pivotal Jekyll and Hyde and I’ll be wowing you all with ‘Bad Habits’ by Ed Sheeran.”
Kesta had to hold back a laugh at the proclamation, and thankfully anything that slipped out was covered by the music that started pouring from the speakers, ‘He talks a big game, but there’s no way he’ll outperform Jhison.’
As the half elf began to sing though, Kesta could see why he was able to talk so big, his voice and movement with the beat were almost magical in how mesmerizing they were. His voice hit every note with ease and he even added a few vocal riffs that only made the song better. The dancing he did was no less impressive, Dr. Dragon’s body flowed with the rhythm so easily that Kesta wondered why he wasn’t part of the club in the first place with all the talent he had.
The performance seemed to end far quicker than any in the room believed it should and the standing ovation Dr. Dragon received showed that Kesta wasn’t the only one impressed by it. The applause lasted for a few minutes and Kesta could see Dr. Dragon relished it. Eventually everyone settled down and took their seats, except for Mr. Neverember.
Mr. Neverember let out a laugh, “Well, seems we’ve quite the fight for the main spot. That was a fantastic performance Dr. Dragon. I didn’t think anyone could compare to our star performer, but you’ve certainly proven you’re qualified for the part.”
Kesta shot a glance across the room to gauge Jhison’s reaction to Mr. Neverember’s words and could help but wince at the grumpy look on his face. She pulled out her phone and sent him a quick text, asking if he was alright and if she needed to come over to him. She saw him quickly remove his phone from his pocket, read the message and saw him type out a reply. She felt her phone vibrate and looked down.
‘I’ll be fine. I can’t blame Mr. Neverember for his words, the performance was spectacular. Any other play and I’d be happy to give him the part, but I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep this one. Thank you for checking up on me. Love you.’
Kesta sighed in relief and quickly wrote out, ‘I’m glad. Love you too.’
With that, Kesta looked up to see Therima taking the stage. Ari made quick work once again of transferring the microphone and within minutes the tiefling girl was ready to perform.
Mr. Neverember nodded as Ari left the stage, “Alright, while it might be a bit daunting following that performance, I hope you don’t feel too overwhelmed.”
Therima shook her head, “I’ve performed under such conditions before, pressure just makes my performance better.”
Mr. Neverember smiled, “Glad to hear it. Well then when you’re ready; Name, character and song.”
Therima took a breath before beginning, “My name is Therima Thetal, I’ll be auditioning for the part of Lucy Harris and I’ll be singing ‘No Good Deed’ from ‘Wicked’.”
Therima wasn’t given much time. Almost as soon as she finished speaking, the song began to blast from the speakers, but the girl seemed ready for a quick entrance and quickly threw herself into the song. It didn’t seem to be luck either, with the confidence and vigor Therima sang and spoke, Kesta could tell that if the song wasn’t Therima’s favorite it was damn near close. Her voice matched the tone perfectly, and when the somber part of the song hit, Therima almost seemed ready to cry and Kesta couldn’t tell if they were real tears or not. Eventually the final note hit and Therima surprised Kesta by holding the final note out for its full length, a feat she’d tried and failed on a few occasions herself.
As the last note finished, Therima could be seen breathing heavily, but with a smile on her face. The audience applauded and she bowed deeply before standing up straight. Though as she stood back up she seemed to overestimate the speed and she fell backwards landing on her behind.
Mr. Neverember stood up, a worried look on his face, “Are you alright dear?”
Therima nodded, standing up and brushing herself off, “Yep, always happens after a good performance. It’s just the give and take of fate, I do something amazing, the universe makes sure I'm humble in return.”
Mr. Neverember gave a quizzical look to Therima before shrugging, “Well in any case, you might need to be careful. That performance was so good I don’t know if the universe is quite done with you yet.”
Therima laughed, “Probably not. Either way, thank you for the compliment sir.”
“Of course dear. Now moving right along we have a performance I know quite a few members of our club are excited to see. So Kesta, will you please make your way to the stage?”
Kesta took a deep breath before standing up, ‘It’s time.’
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Gruff watched Kesta as she went on stage, ‘Last person before me. Is it bad I hope something bad happens so I don’t have to go? Nah, but I’d probably still have to go on a different day.’
Before Guff could continue down his line of thought he heard Mr. Neverember start Kesta’s audition, ‘Might as well watch, see if all that practice last night paid off.’
He saw Kesta take a deep breath, before muttering something that even the mic couldn’t pick up. She then seemed to steel herself before speaking again, “My name is Kesta Northrun, I’ll be auditioning for the part of Emma Carew and I’ll be performing ‘Tightrope’ from ‘The Greatest Showman’.”
Like all the other auditions, there was little time between when the person finished speaking and the song starting. Kesta seemed a little skittish however and Gruff wondered if all that practice had been for nothing. However once the opening finished, Kesta seemed to recover and started to sing, although even Gruff could tell her voice was a bit shaky. She seemed to recover by the chorus though and the smile on her face told Gruff she wasn’t entirely focused on the crowd anymore.
Trying to follow her gaze he smirked once he saw who she was looking at, ‘Of course. Makes sense she’s smiling looking at him. And by the look on his face Jhison knows she’s looking at him. Gods these two are gross.’
Whatever Gruff thought though, Kesta was able to finish her performance with no mistakes and the applause, while mostly coming from the Drama Club, was deserved. Though she seemed to be ready to collapse at any moment, Kesta took her bow, still smiling once she came back up.
Mr. Neverember stood up, “Well done Kesta. It’s clear how much practice you put into this and I’m so glad that you’re joining us for this performance.”
Kesta seemed to blush, apparently not used to this kind of praise, “Thank you sir.”
“Well with that, we have one more performance today. Gruff, if you’d be so kind as to come up to the stage?”
Gruff grumbled, but started to make his way to the stage. As he was climbing the stairs he looked up slightly and saw Ari dragging a step ladder with her as she moved towards the center.
He chuckled and it seemed Ari heard him, “Yeah laugh it up big boy.” she said, smirking. After reclaiming the mic from Kesta she set the ladder up and used it to get the head piece attached to his head. While she was doing that Kesta passed by, but stopped right in front of him.
Giving him a big smile Kesta looked at him before speaking, “Good luck Gruff, you’ve got this.”
Gruff didn’t know what to say in response so he just nodded. Seeing that that was the best she was going to get she continued off the stage and retook her seat in the audience.
Gruff shot a look at Ari who had moved onto fixing the battery pack to him, “She always like that?”
Ari nodded, “Oh yeah, she’s essentially the club mom, even if she isn’t a part of it, and way too sweet for her own good. How Jhison landed her, the world may never know. She’s right though, you’ve got this.”
With that Ari finished micing Gruff and led him through the checks. Soon enough he was ready to go and Ari left the stage, giving Gruff a clap on the back as she left his side. Gruff took a minute to look out at the crowd. The space was large, but he’d been on stage here before and it didn’t really intimidate him. What did unnerve him slightly were all the eyes on him, many of them with notebooks out, and while he was used to eyes being on him, he was usually in his element when they were.
Gruff shook his head trying to clear it, ‘It doesn’t matter. You’ve got a job to do and it’s time to do it.’
Mr. Neverember got his attention, “Are you okay Gruff?”
Gruff nodded, “Yeah, just clearing my head.”
Mr. Neverember seemed skeptical, but let it go, “Very well then. When you’re ready; Name character and song.”
Gruff took a breath, “Gruff Sharptooth, Simon Stride, and I’ll be performing ‘Transformation’ from ‘Jekyll and Hyde’.”
He noticed a few surprised faces in the crowd as the music started to play, but couldn’t quite place why they were surprised. It didn’t matter though, what did matter was remembering all the words to the song he spent a good chunk of last night as well as when he had free time today practicing. He stuttered over a few of the words, but he was able to make it to the first singing part with little trouble, but when it came time to sing, he couldn’t help but notice a few winces from the crowd.
‘That’s fine.’ he thought, ‘I don’t need them to like my voice, I just need Mr. Neverember to know I’m trying.’
He continued on, focusing on remembering the words for the speaking parts over the lyrics since he could try to put tune and rhyme to them. Eventually he got to the titular part of the song when Dr. Jekyll transformed into Edward Hyde. Thankfully transforming into an angry monster was something Gruff was able to draw personal experience from. He just tapped into the rage he felt during an intense wrestling match and turned his voice into more of a growl than he usually kept it. It seemed like he was doing a good job because he could see fear in the faces of the audience and a small part of him relished it. Soon after the song ended and the silence afterward was deafening.
It was still for a moment, before he heard someone clapping, then another person joined and before Gruff could process it, everyone in the auditorium was on their feet applauding him. He didn’t really know what to do, other than take a bow like he’d seen the others do.
Mr. Neverember came up on stage as the clapping started to die down, “That was wonderful Gruff. The singing could use work, but your acting and the emotions you put into your performance were astounding. You’ve definitely shown you belong here.”
Gruff was torn hearing that, ‘I don’t want to belong here…but I guess it’s better than being kicked out of school.’ FInishing that line of thought Gruff simply said, “Thanks.” and moved towards his seat.
Mr. Neverember stayed on stage, clapping his hands together once more, “And with that, this audition session is over. Thank you everyone for coming, especially our auditioners. I ask the Drama Club members to stay so that we can clean up the stage, but for the rest of you, I wish you a good day.”
Gruff didn’t need to hear anything else. He grabbed his bag and headed for the door, almost making it before hearing someone call out to him. He turned around and saw Jhison jogging after him and scowled.
“What do you want?” he said, almost snarling.
Jhison took a moment to catch his breath, “I wanted to apologize for how the improv game went the other day. While it was never my intention to hurt you emotionally, that doesn’t change the fact that I did. If I could take it back I would because you deserved to have a better first experience on stage than that.” Jhison held out his hand, “I’m hoping we can move forward as co-stars and bury this hatchet.”
Gruff stared at the hand, contemplating it for a moment, before saying, “It’s whatever, but don’t let it happen again, yeah? We’ll call this your one and only warning.”
Jhison brought the hand down, knowing he probably wasn’t going to get Gruff to shake it and nodded, “Of course. If it means anything your performance was phenomenal and I’m glad to have you in this cast.”
Gruff scoffed, “Whatever.” he turned to leave, “Guess I’ll see you around.” and with that he left the theater before anyone else could grab him, leaving the hall just as quickly.
“Well well, seems like Seir’s got quite the fan club now doesn’t he?”
Gruff turned to see Nathmar standing by the doors to the Theatre Hall, “What are you doing here? Didn’t you have someone to ask out today?”
Nathmar chuckled. “Done and dealt with, we’re going out tomorrow, but I had some extra time afterwards and I wanted to see your audition.”
Gruff groaned, “Oh gods why?”
Nathmar laughed, “Oh lighten up, you did good. They clearly thought so if they gave you a standing ovation.”
Gruff quirked an eyebrow, “A what?”
Nathmar did a double take, “Wait…do you seriously not know what that is?”
Gruff shook his head, “No, why would I?”
Nathmar facepalmed, “Because everyone knows what it is? How have you gone this long without knowing that when a group of people applaud you while standing up from their seats, it’s called a standing ovation?”
Gruff scoffed, “Because it doesn’t matter what it’s called dipshit.”
Nathmar groaned, “What am I gonna do with you Gruff?”
Gruff smirked, “Make me dinner to celebrate me getting through the audition?”
Nathmar laughed, “You know what, why not? I’d say this is worthy of a celebration dinner.”
Gruff perked up, not expecting Nathmar to go with it, “Really?”
Nathmar nodded, “Yep. C’mon, I wanna see if we have everything I need before it gets too late. Race you there.”
Gruff grimaced, “Can’t, remember?”
Nathmar’s look of ‘oh yeah’ told Gruff he did, “Right, ummmmm…speedwalk you there then?”
Gruff laughed, “How about we walk and you tell me all about how you didn’t throw up when you asked out Folgrand?”
Nathmar groaned, “Fuck you man, I did fine.”
Gruff laughed, “Uh, huh.”
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Raenar waved as Ari left the main theater, she was usually the last one because she checked all the instruments before leaving, and gathered his things together, before leaving the theater as well, turning the ceiling light off as he did. He made his way up the stairs and to his classroom, entering the room silently.
“Well,” he said to himself, “Quite the showing of performances today. Gruff in particular…” he let the thought hang. He then looked over to his computer and began to make his way over to it. Pulling up the spreadsheet he made for auditions he contemplated the performances he’d seen today and the previous day, before making a decision. He started to fill in the block next to the one titled ‘JnH’.
“No one’s going to be able to impress me as much as those two did, now it’s just a matter of who gets it.” Raenar leaned back in the chair he’d taken a seat in and looked at his work. In the empty block he’d written two names, Gruff and Jhison.
“It’s not going to be easy to choose. I know this is the play Jhison’s been dreaming of performing, but Gruff’s talent isn’t to be ignored either. Do I go with the safe option of my star performer and let him fulfill his dream, or do I take a risk and allow that hidden talent to possibly flourish.” he bit his thumbnail as he contemplated, before getting up from the chair and pacing the room.
“It’s not something I’ll be able to decide tonight, this decision is crucial. I’ll need to think about it, analyze each performance again and again, before coming to a decision.” He looked back at the computer, before shaking his head and grabbing his things again.
As Raenar descended the stairs to leave the Theatre Hall, he had one final thought, ‘Whatever my decision, this play will be the most memorable show yet.’
Notes:
While auditions aren't over yet in-universe, this will be the last chapter where they have any real focus (unless I change my mind which is always a possibility). Hopefully they were suitable and you enjoyed the chapter. Once again this will be the last chapter of the new year...but it won't be the last thing I post.
Keep an eye out around Christmas, yeah?
Chapter 11: Chapter 11
Notes:
Hi...so it's been a minute and you're probably wondering why this is a week late. Well that's because time marches forward whether you notice it or not and deadlines can hit you like a truck. Unfortunately by the time I noticed the deadline was getting close I had maybe a day to work on the chapter and whatever came out would not be worth the pages it was typed on. I will endeavor to make sure it doesn't happen again though.
All that said, thanks as always to the DM for beta-ing and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The next few days passed by quickly for Jhison and before he knew it the last audition day had come and gone, and the day the cast list would be revealed had arrived. Mr. Neverember had told them the day before that the list would be posted at noon sent via email and Jhison had trouble focusing on classes due to it. He barely remembered what happened over the last few hours, all he could think about was how agonizingly slow the clock seemed to go. Thankfully for his sanity the clock did hit twelve and while he wanted nothing more than to open the email immediately, he wanted to do it with Kesta so they could celebrate together.
So he quickly grabbed his bag and ran from his classroom towards the spot he and Kesta always had lunch at. It was a small hill a little ways away from the campus, shaded by a small tree that provided quite a bit of privacy. He slowed down as he reached the spot and saw that he’d gotten there first, deciding to at least pull up the email on his phone and get ready to eat before Kesta arrived.
It only took him a few minutes, but soon he heard someone approaching and looked up to see it was Kesta, out of breath but smiling.
Jhison sat down and patted the seat she usually took next to him, “I see I wasn’t the only one excited for today.”
Kesta took the seat, “Excited is one word for it. Scared and anxious are another pair I could use.”
Jhison chuckled and quickly kissed Kesta on the cheek, “I have no doubt you’ll get the part. Your audition was fantastic and very few people auditioned for the same part, honestly Savah will have more competition than you.”
Kesta took a deep breath, “Well there’s no point in putting it off, let’s go ahead and see.”
The couple took out their phones and brought the email up. Jhison quickly scrolled to see who’d be performing the role of Emma. The smile that grew on his face threatened to split it in two and he couldn’t hold it in, “You got the part, you’re going to be Emma. I’m so proud of you Kesta.”
When he looked over to see her reaction, his mood immediately soured. She looked almost ready to cry and he could tell they weren’t tears of happiness. He immediately became concerned, “What’s wrong?”
Kesta seemed to have trouble getting the words out, but eventually she said, “I-i’m so s-sorry, S-starlight.”
Jhison was confused, why would she be apologizing? Then a thought crossed his mind that turned his blood cold. He quickly turned towards the email and looked for the line that said who’d gotten the part for Jekyll and Hyde…and an anger that he hadn’t felt in a very long time consumed him.
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Jhison’s voice was seething, “Gruff? He received the part?”
Kesta heard his tone and a fear she hadn’t known in a while grabbed her heart. Jhison’s voice, while deep, usually carried a bit of warmth and kindness in it. When the anger took over though, his voice was cold and uncaring, even towards her. She knew he wouldn’t take the news well, but she’d hoped far beyond reason that the anger wouldn’t take over.
Kesta reached for him, tears forgotten, “Starlight, look at me.”
Instead of heeding her words, Jhison got up and began walking. Kesta scrambled to follow him, “Starlight, no. I know you’re angry, but talking with Mr. Neverember as you are won’t change his mind.”
Jhison still kept walking, “You know, I can’t seem to find it in me to care right now.”
Kesta bit her lip, this wasn’t good, she hoped being reasonable would work, but it seemed she needed to play dirty, “If you talk to Mr. Neverember while consumed with your anger, then I will personally make sure he never lets you play a leading role again.”
She hated saying it, but it did get him to stop. When he turned to look at her though, her resolve almost wavered. There was no love in his eyes, only malice and she knew that it was all directed at her.
“You’re bluffing. You would sabotage my career here at the school because of this? After everything we discussed? After all the work I put in to earn this role? You would throw this and all my future glory away because of a little anger?”
It hurt her to hear him say that, but she knew if she faltered she wouldn’t get him back, “Yes I would, because who I want to see shine on stage is the man I fell in love with. Not his shadow.”
Jhison began to stalk towards her, “How is that fair to me? Why can’t I be angry for once? Why must I control myself when all my hard work and dreams are being smothered by an oaf who doesn’t even care for the art? Why can’t I be myself for once? Because you’re scared? Because I may regret what truth slips from my tongue? I deserve this wrath! Not to be cast aside by Neverember!”
Kesta felt very small, but she would not falter, “You are not being cast aside, and I do not fear you Starlight, nor will I ever. But I know you fear this anger. Even as you are, I know you can remember the day I gave you that ring on your hand, and the promise you made me when you slid it on.”
Jhison brought up the hand wearing the ring, pondering it for a moment, “Ah yes, my promise. But what good are words when you can’t even be bothered to stand beside me? I refuse to bear this indignity. Yet here you stand…in my way. What, can you not love all of me? Do your words mean so little?”
It hurt to hear those words from him, but she knew she was getting close, “If you truly mean that, then stand in front of me and give me that ring, or are you scared you might recover?”
Jhison moved again, standing right in front of Kesta…and began to take the ring off. Kesta nearly fell into tears, but right before it cleared the first knuckle of his finger, his hand stopped. Kesta looked at his eyes and while they were glazed over in anger, she could still see the war going on in them.
She then heard him speak, but the voice was quiet, “Help…me…my…Silver…Bullet.”
She knew she didn’t have much time before the anger took over again and began not to hum, but to sing. The tune she’d had to use days prior had words to it, but more often than not simply humming the tune was enough. Today though she was thankful for the privacy the spot they used provided, because when she needed to use the words the aftermath was never pretty.
It took until the end of the song for her to know Jhsion was well and truly back and when she’d finished Jhison crumpled to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut, sobbing all the way down, Kesta catching him and pulling him into a hug.
Kesta could barely understand him as he spoke, “I’m sor-hic-ry. I di-di-di-hic-n’t m-mean it.”
Kesta slowly rubbed his back, “Shhh, it’s okay Starlight. I know you didn’t. I’m so proud of you for breaking through.”
Jhison tried to speak again, but Kesta shushed him, “Don’t speak, just let it out. We can talk later.”
Kesta lost track of time, but eventually Jhison was able to calm down, though his voice was still shaky, “I-I’m alright now. Thank y-you, K-kesta.”
Kesta smiled, “It’s fine Starlight. You came out of it much faster than last time.”
Jhison chuckled while sniffling, “I’d prefer not going in at all frankly.”
Kesta broke the hug, but had Jhison look at her, “I want you to know I don’t blame you though, for going in or what you said. This part is near and dear to your heart, one you’ve worked for for as long as I’ve known you. Anyone would feel angry at losing something like that, unfortunately anger is a dangerous emotion for you. But you were able to break it’s hold and the only one who’ll know is me and anyone you feel you need to tell. As for what you said; while the words stung, I know they were empty. You would never say them otherwise, not even under duress.”
Jhison was silent, aside from the sniffling, as she spoke. Kesta knew it would be a while before he could accept her words, he was always hard on himself after the anger took hold, and let him think. It was a few minutes before he spoke, “I know you think the best of me, and I love you for it, but I’d much prefer if I had never said those words to you. It’s now one more dark spot in our relationship and that aside, had you not stopped me, I fear what I would have said to Mr. Neverember had I reached the Theatre Hall.”
Kesta took a sharp intake of breath, “...I can’t say that fear is unwarranted, but even if you had, I would have been able to confine you and gotten through anyways, and you know how understanding he is.”
Jhison chuckled, “He’s given me far too much leeway.”
Kesta chuckled as well, ”Not any you haven’t earned.” she took a breath, “Do you want to go see him now?”
She saw fear flash across his face, but he slowly nodded, “...I want to know.”
Kesta nodded, “And you deserve to. Come on.”
She slowly helped him stand up, then left him standing to quickly grab their stuff. Putting an arm around him when she returned she began to walk with him to the Theatre Hall. The walk took longer than normal and a quick glance at her phone told her they’d both be late for their next class, but she figured she could talk with her teachers and Jhison’s teachers had already been informed of his ailment upon his registration to the classes so all she’d have to do was let them know an episode had occurred.
Eventually they made it and Kesta helped Jhison climb the stairs to Mr. Neverember’s room. It was slow going, but they made it and Kesta knocked on the door, hoping Mr. Neverember would be able to talk to them. They waited a few minutes before Mr. Neverember opened the door.
Mr. Neverember took one look at Jhison and began to usher the two of them inside, “I’d figured he’d be coming…I’d hoped it would be without an episode.”
Kesta chuckled mirthlessly as they walked in, “You and me both sir.”
Mr. Neverember shut the door behind them, “How bad was it?”
Kesta bit her lip, “I had to use the words.”
Mr. Neverember looked apologetic, “Perhaps I should have given him advanced warning. It might have been easier to hear it from me in person rather than find out through the email.”
Jhison spoke up, “Why?”
There was no need for clarification, they all knew what he meant, “...Mr. Sharptooth is in a very precarious situation right now. He did not join the club of his own volition, rather he was assigned to us. In addition my rule was that he had to put in the work and he did. While I'd never intended to give him the part of Jekyll and Hyde, his audition showed me he could pull it off with assistance.”
Mr. Neverember locked eyes with Jhison, “Please understand Jhison, this decision was not made lightly. I went over both of your auditions countless times, oftentimes losing sleep due to it and this was the conclusion I came to. Your audition was phenomenal, let there be no doubt of that, but Gruff showcased hidden talent with his audition that I know we can help flourish. But I don’t want you to think there’s no hope for you to still claim the part. If Gruff proves himself unwilling to work with us, or causes trouble outside of the club then I will revoke the part and give it to you.”
Kesta could see a question cross Jhison’s face that he was too afraid to ask, “What if Gruff decides he doesn't want the part at all?”
The apologetic look returned to his face, “I’m afraid I would not revoke it. We’ve had people who did not want parts before, but I made them do them anyway. As comfortable as I try to make this club, for any amount of growth to happen, sometimes you must be pushed out of your comfort zone. I believe you’ve experienced this recently Ms. Northrun.”
Kesta nodded, but she still didn’t like the answer, “I feel my situation is different to being forced to take a part, much less the lead role.”
“I do not disagree with you, but I stand by this decision. As much as it pains me to say this Jhison, you will be the understudy for Jekyll and Hyde, not the primary actor.”
At Mr. Nevermeber’s words, Kesta saw Jhison’s face fall and she knew he was probably spiraling, “I’m sorry Mr. Neverember, but I need to take him home. I’ll try and help him through this.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, making his way towards the door to open it for them, “Let him know that if there is any way I can make it easier on him, I will do my best to accommodate him. I know he probably doesn't want to hear it, but I am sorry nonetheless.”
Kesta didn’t speak, she was far too focused on leading Jhison out of the classroom and out of the Theatre Hall. As she led him to the dorms she couldn’t help but think, 'How does Gruff feel about this?'
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“Okay, walk me through this. I came back from my lunch date with my boyfriend to find you dressed in your workout clothes. You tell me to get changed and that we're working out. So far this is normal. You then proceed to tell me that you’d rather get expelled from school than be the lead role in the play and plan to tell the headmaster that. That about right?”
Gruff grunted as he wailed on a punching bag set up in the corner of the gym, “Yep.”
Nathmar groaned, “Gruff I know I’ve said this a lot, but what the fuck is wrong with you?”
Gruff turned to look at Nathmar, “I’m wondering the same thing about you. I didn’t want to do this play in the first place, so the fact I’m being forced to be the main character against my will is enough for me to say ‘fuck it’. Where exactly is this out of character for me?”
Nathmar seemed ready to slam his head against a steel pole, “Gruff, buddy, compadre; I love you, but will you get your head out of your ass?”
Gruff scowled, “I’m not going to be made fun of. I did my part, I tried out to the best of my ability, even got a ‘standing ovation’ or whatever the fuck its called. I know I have no business with this Heckyl and Jyde stuff so I’m just going to quit.”
Nathmar scowled right back, “First of all, it’s Jekyll and Hyde. Second of all, if you think I’m just going to let you sabotage your own school career because of something like this, then I’ve got news for you buddy.”
Gruff put himself right in front of Nathmar, looking down because he was a few inches shorter, “You can’t do shit, and you’re not going to do shit. I’m quitting and that’s that.”
Nathmar didn’t back down, “Over my dead body.”
Gruff snarled, “That can be arranged.”
The two wrestlers just stood there, staring daggers at each other before Nathmar backed off, “This isn't over Gruff. Not by a long shot.”
Gruff didn’t even bother with a response, he just went back to wailing on the bag. He noticed Nathmar leaving in his peripheral, but he didn’t really care. He just continued to work the bag, losing track of time as he did so. He didn’t know how long he’d been at it before he was interrupted by someone calling him, “Excuse me?”
Gruff turned to tell whoever it was to piss off, but the words caught in his throat. Standing there was an attractive Drow male, with short well kept white hair and piercings lining his ears.
He barely registered what the Drow said next, “Did you happen to see a water bottle around here recently? I seemed to have left mine when I was last here.”
Gruff hadn’t and shook his head, not trusting his mouth right now.
The Drow looked a little sad at Gruff's response, “Pity. Well I’ll let you get back to it then, sorry for the interruption.”
Gruff didn’t want him to leave, so he did what everyone said he did best; he opened his mouth without thinking, “I haven’t seen you around before.”
The Drow stopped and turned back towards Gruff, “Well I do prefer working out at night so that’s probably why.”
Gruff was confused, “Don’t the doors close around eight?”
The Drow smirked, “Maybe they do for students, but teachers often get a little more leeway in these instances.”
‘Fuck.’ it was just Gruff’s luck the man was a teacher, it also explained a bit more about why he didn’t recognize him despite his appearance, he barely gave teachers a passing glance.
The Drow pulled him out of his reverie, “You know it took me a moment, but I think I recognize you. You're Gruff Sharptooth correct? Waterdeep’s most accomplished wrestler for the past few years, if I recall.”
Gruff flushed, “Y-yeah that’s me. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to tell me your name?”
The Drow smirked, “Jarlaxle Baenrae, however for formality’s sake I’d prefer if you’d call me Mr. Baenrae or sir.”
Gruff nodded, “Sure thing. Um, I guess I’ll let you go find your bottle.”
Mr. Baenrae chuckled, “So kind of you Mr. Sharptooth. Perhaps I’ll be seeing you a bit more.” he looked up, “Oh, I do love this song.” he said before walking away.
Gruff briefly listened to the speakers, and heard them playing a song he’d heard a few times before, something about being beautiful according to a ‘him’? He hadn’t really been paying attention those other times. By the time he’d checked in again, Mr. Baenrae was gone.
‘Damnit, the first attractive guy I see in here, and it had to be a teacher.’ While teacher/student relationships weren’t explicitly against the rules, they were generally frowned upon and might as well have been. Both the student and the teacher risked far too much and any pair caught were essentially outcasts.
Gruff was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of an alarm going off on his phone. He groaned, knowing it was time for his tutoring session with Feru’ma, “I’m gonna lose it today, I can feel it.”
Gruff quickly grabbed his things and made a beeline for the showers, quickly rinsing himself off and changing into his street clothes. He left the gym and headed for the library, dreading whatever lesson Feru’ma had planned for him. He got there earlier than he thought he would, but knew Feru’ma would be here anyway because she was always early. He climbed the steps to the second floor and was surprised to see another elf sitting next to her. The second elf, also a female, had dark hair and wore a light green shirt and Gruff could see a few bracelets on her right arm.
Gruff approached the table, “Am I interrupting something?”
The two elfs jumped, they clearly hadn’t heard him approach, and Feru’ma answered, “Ah, Gruff. I wasn’t expecting you for a few more minutes.”
Gruff shrugged, “Had a bit more time than I thought I would today. This another student of yours?”
The other elf stood up, “Not today at least.” she held her hand out, “Therumani Khydah. I’m Feru’ma’s girlfriend.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, and took the offered hand, “Didn’t know she had one.”
Feru’ma sighed, “Because it’s not something I openly advertise.”
Theruma retracted her hand, smirking, “She’s embarrassed of me.”
Feru’ma sputtered, and stood up, “I am not.”
Theruma decided to turn on the waterworks, and dramatically put her hand to her forehead “You don’t need to hide it, I know the former Crim heiress would prefer to hide her commoner girlfriend.”
Feru’ma pouted and puffed out her cheeks, “You were nobility too, you know.”
Theruma stuck her tongue out and lowered her hand, “Yeah, but I was always kept hidden. You were out in public, that makes you more noble than I was.”
Feru’ma sighed, “You can be so insufferable sometimes.”
Therumani leaned in and kissed Feru’ma on the cheek, “Yeah, but you love me anyways.”
Feru’ma couldn’t fight the smile that grew on her face, “I suppose I do. I’ll see you at home okay?”
Therumani nodded, grabbing her backpack, “Sure thing, love you hun.”
Feru’ma waved as Therumani went down the stairs, “Love you too.” turning to Gruff her expression turned embarrassed, “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Gruff smirked, “Don’t worry about it.” taking his seat he asked, “How long you two been together?”
Feru’ma thought for a minute, “I think we’ve been together for about…eight years now? She’s always been better at keeping track of the exact date.”
Gruff let out a low whistle, “That’s a long time, how’d you two meet?”
Feru’ma smirked, “How about I answer that after you tell me how you beat out Jhison for the lead for Jekyll and Hyde?”
Gruff's mood immediately soured, “Don’t know, don’t care. I’m quitting anyways.”
Feru’ma look shocked, “Why on earth would you do that? You know what quitting the play would mean, right?”
Gruff scoffed, “Of course I do, I’m not an idiot remember? Or were all those times you said it not true?”
Feru’ma scowled, “I might rescind those times if you don’t stop kidding around.”
Gruff scowled right back, “Why is it people think I’m kidding around about shit like this?”
Feru’ma looked angrier than Gruff had ever seen her, “Because you’d be throwing away all the hard work you’ve been putting in. Any sane person would think you’d gone loony.”
Gruff didn’t care for her words, “Well if I’m so ‘loony’ then I guess there’s no point to today’s session.” with that he stood up and began to walk away.
He heard Feru’ma stand up, “Gruff Sharptooth, you sit your arse down right this instant.”
Gruff was surprised, but he was used to people yelling at him, “I’m gonna go with ‘no’. I don’t need to listen to someone who can’t even talk about her own scars.”
The gasp from behind him let him know how effective his words were, and satisfied he started walking down the stairs…only to get slugged in the gut by a familiar elf. Therumani hadn’t hurt him, she didn’t have much weight behind her and he had taken far worse hits, but it still caught him off guard and he stumbled backwards slightly, landing on his ass.
Therumani looked furious, “How dare you say that to her? Just because she didn’t want to see you throw away your hard work, you think it’s okay to bring that up?”
Gruff didn’t even bother responding, he just got up, moved past her and kept walking down the stairs. He heard Therumani yell at him, but he didn’t care enough to register the words. Once he got outside he started to head for the headmasters office, ‘Let’s get this over with.’
Notes:
Bit of a doozy right at the end there, huh? Let's get this out of the way: what Gruff said here is not and never will be okay. Using something you know is sensitive to someone as a weapon in an argument is one of the lowest blows you can throw. If that line being in this chapter causes you to leave I understand completely.
Otherwise, hopefully I'll still have an audience to see the next chapter when it comes out. Looking forward to it, thanks for reading.
Chapter 12: Chapter 12
Notes:
Ta-dah! A new chapter. Glad I didn't repeat last month's mistake, but my schoolwork definitely took the dive this time. But enough about problems that'll come back to bite me.
As always a thanks to our DM for beta-ing the chapter, and a special shoutout to Gruff's player for a certain character that'll appear. I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Gruff stormed into the main building where the headmaster’s office was. The anger that had been building up all day was still in full swing and he didn’t care about making that everyone else’s problem. He didn’t even notice the walk to the front desk and found himself looking down at the receptionist, who didn’t even blink at his approach.
Gruff growled, “I need to talk to the headmaster.”
The receptionist merely nodded, frankly looking a bit bored, “Go on ahead, she’s been expecting you.”
A part of Gruff’s brain briefly thought that was strange, but the anger clouded his rational thoughts again and he began making his way to the office he’d once hoped he wouldn’t have to step into again.
‘A bit ironic I’m here to get myself kicked out then.’ Gruff thought. He didn’t bother knocking once he’d reached the headmaster’s office, opening the door with more force than was necessary. A part of him got a little angrier that it didn’t even seem to affect the headmaster, who was sitting calmly at her desk, seemingly waiting for him.
The headmaster turned to look at him, “Ah Gruff, please take a seat. We’re waiting for one more person.”
Gruff sneered, “No. I’m just here-”
The headmaster cut him off, “I know why you’re here Gruff and I insist you take a seat. Something tells me you’d be better off doing so and not wasting this person’s time.”
Gruff’s anger almost won out in just leaving, but the way the headmaster had said her words gave him pause. Reluctantly, he sat down in one of the two chairs set up across from the headmaster’s desk. It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes before he heard footsteps begin to approach the office…one’s he recognized.
There was a knock at the door and the headmaster beckoned the person to enter. Gruff turned to see the person he’d hoped he was wrong about hearing approach, “Mom?”
Standing there was a tall, though still a few inches shorter than Gruff, golden Dragonborn. Gruff noticed she was wearing her mariner’s clothes and he could see they weren’t dry.
Before Gruff could say anything, his mom spoke up, “Gruff…would you care to tell me why I’m having to come onto land a day earlier than I planned?”
Gruff’s throat closed shut, but he still was able to get a few words out, “Because I have a snitch for a friend?”
Gruff’s mom raised an eyebrow, then turned to look at the headmaster, “Care to translate?”
The headmaster nodded, “Of course. You received a call from me because I was told by a close friend and teammate of Gruff’s that he was planning to drop out of the school play he’d agreed to participate in. Admittedly his agreement was under duress due to the fact that, had he not, he'd be on the fast track to expulsion, but I digress.”
Gruff’s mom turned to look back at Gruff, “Is that accurate?”
Gruff only nodded, shame not letting him open his mouth. His mom sighed, before taking a seat in the empty chair next to Gruff.
She ran a hand over her face, “Not good Gruff, not good at all.”
Gruff averted his eyes, he didn’t like disappointing her, “Not my fault Mr. Neverember made me the lead.”
That seemed to catch both women off guard, his mother recovering first, “Wait…you’re the lead in this play? You? I don’t know whether to be proud of you or ask where I can get whatever this teacher was smoking.”
Gruff couldn’t help but laugh, his mom had that effect on him, “Can’t you do both?”
His mom laughed back, leaning over to put a hand on his knee, “Damn right I can. Well done son.” then she smacked the back of his head, “So why the hell are you quitting?”
Gruff scowled as he rubbed his head where she’d hit him, “Because I’ve got no business being the lead? You know it, I know it, everyone does. I’m not going to get up there just to be laughed at.”
His mom looked at him questioningly, “Then don’t get laughed at. What have I always told you? Don’t let them win, make them submit. That doesn't just apply to your wrestling, you know.”
Gruff looked at her like she was crazy, “You’ve heard my voice, and when have I ever been able to fool you?”
His mom waved his words away, “That’s because I’m your mother, my bullshit detector’s too strong for you. And do you really think they’d let you go on stage without training your voice a bit more? You already sing fine, just need help in a place or two.”
Gruff scowled again, knowing he was losing this fight, “So I’m supposed to just do something I don’t want to do because you said I should?”
His mom fixed him with a hard look, “When did I say that? If you really don’t want to do this play, then let’s go right now. But is that really what you want? To give up everything you’ve worked hard for, all the friends you’ve made, because of something new? I know I raised you better than that.”
Gruff thought it over, knowing that whatever came out of his mouth next was going to be taken as law, before he opened his mouth, “...No.”
He saw both women smile, and his mother walked over and hugged him, “I’m glad to hear it son.” she stood up, “Now, let’s go meet this teacher who sees so much potential in you…I’ve got a question I need answered.”
Gruff smiled as he stood up, hearing his mom speak to the headmaster, “Here’s hoping this was a one time thing, don’t hesitate to call me if it turns out not to be though.”
He saw the headmaster nod, “Of course, apologies for calling you away from work, but I didn’t think I’d be as effective alone.”
He heard his mother laugh as he began walking towards the open door, “I doubt you would have been, stubborn child I raised, just like me. Well then, here’s hoping I don’t see you too soon.”
Gruff felt his mom’s presence behind him as they exited the headmaster’s office together. His mom beckoned him to lead the way to Mr. Neverember and Gruff did so begrudgingly. As they made their way over, he noticed two familiar figures walking towards the dorms.
His mom seemed to catch him looking and followed his gaze, “You know them?”
Gruff nodded, “Kesta and Jhison, the drama club’s power couple.”
His mom raised an eyebrow, “Doesn't seem like it from here. They’re definitely a couple, but I’m not seeing any power behind it.”
Gruff looked again, and he saw his mom was right. Jhison was slumped over and Gruff could see the area around his eyes was red, like he’d been crying. Kesta was a bit more put together, but Gruff could see it was only a little bit.
Before he could stop her, he saw his mother walking over to them. She made it over before Gruff could blink and he groaned, trudging his way over, ‘This should be fun.’
------------
Kesta couldn’t help but admit, she didn’t expect to be stopped on the way to the dorms by a golden Dragonborn, nor did she expect to see Gruff walk up behind her. She looked between Gruff and Jhison nervously and hoped this wouldn’t cause the anger to resurface, she really didn’t want to have to use the words around these two.
Kesta looked back at the Dragonborn, “I’m sorry, but can I help you? My boyfriend and I really need to be getting to our dorms.”
The Dragonborn smirked like she knew something, “Ah, I see. Well far be it from me to keep two lovebirds from having some fun on campus. I just wanted to introduce myself.” the Dragonborn held out her hand, “Cassa Matis, I’m Gruff’s mother.”
Kesta felt a little more nervous, Jhison wasn’t focused on anything but the ground, but she didn’t want him to see Gruff at this moment either. She smiled at Cassa, “I apologize for not shaking your hand, but my boyfriend isn’t feeling the best right now. He’s had a difficult day.”
Cassa retreated her hand, “Ah it’s no big deal, but it must have been a hell of a bad day for him to be like this.”
Kesta smiled tightly, ‘You have no idea.’ out loud she said, “It has been and if it’s all the same I’d like to prevent it from getting any worse.”
Cassa nodded, “Sure thing. Gruff, say good-bye, yeah?”
Kesta cursed under her breath, ‘Damn it, just what I didn’t want to happen.’
But it was too late, Jhison’s head had moved to glance in Gruff's direction at the sound of his name and Kesta moved to cover his eyes. She’d almost made it, but Jhison saw Gruff first, and in the next moment she knew things were going to be very messy.
Jhison stood tall, face twisted in fury, and uttered exactly one word, “You!”
------------
Gruff knew hatred, he’d grown up seeing it in the eyes of every foster parent he’d been with save his mom, but he couldn’t say he expected how much hatred Jhison expressed with little more than a glance and a word.
Kesta immediately got in front of Jhison, “Starlight no, this isn't the time.” she turned to look at Gruff, “I’m sorry, but please leave.”
Jhison growled, “No, please stay. I’d love to congratulate the dull oaf who stole the part I so desperately worked for right out from under me.”
Gruff growled right back, “What did you say you little-”
His mom spoke up, “That’s enough Gruff. I’ll handle this.”
Jhison scoffed, “What? Can’t fight your own battle’s Sharptooth? You need your-”
Whatever Jhison would have said next was quickly cut off as he soon found a dragon’s fist lodged in his stomach. Jhison wheezed and crumpled to his knees, trying to regain the air Gruff’s mother just knocked out of him.
Gruff watched his mother shake her hand, “You know, I don’t take kindly to insults directed at my son.”
Kesta kneeled down beside Jhison, speaking towards the two of them, “I’m sorry for his actions. This is part of why today has been such a bad one. Perhaps I can give you the explanation one day, but I’m afraid for now I must ask you again to leave. What happens next won’t be pretty and I can’t guarantee he won’t fly into it again if you’re still here.”
Gruff didn’t want to, frankly he wanted to give Jhison a piece of his own mind, but one look from his mom and he backed off, walking towards the Theater Hall again. He heard his mom follow behind him after giving a farewell to Kesta. Glazing back briefly, he saw Kesta rubbing Jhison’s back and saying something to him although he couldn’t hear what.
Gruff turned forward again, calling out behind him, “I could’ve handled that.”
His mom answered him, “I know, but you would have taken it too far. Plus you’re already on thin ice, yeah? You might not be able to get away with something like that, but something tells me they’re gonna have a tougher time getting me to apologize. Not that I think those two will cause any trouble for you and me.”
Gruff was confused, “What makes you so sure?”
He didn’t see it, but he felt his mom shrug behind him, “Simple, she apologized to me. Anyone else would’ve said, ‘how could you?’ or something like that. But she didn’t seem angry, honestly she seemed thankful. Something tells me he will be too once he wakes up.”
Gruff shot a confused look back at her, “You didn’t knock him out though?”
His mom chuckled, “Mentally Gruff. Think about it a bit, how different did he seem before and after he saw you?”
Gruff shrugged, “Dunno, didn’t see much change?”
His mom scoffed, “Really? The boy was near catatonic before he saw you, then all of the sudden he’s looking for a fight? Plus I saw it when I hit him, his eyes were glazed over. I’ve only seen that a few times, but it’s usually when someone’s angry.”
Gruff felt nervous when she mentioned anger, “Not with me though right?”
He let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding when she shook her head, “Nah, yours is a different anger, yours brings clarity. Enough about that though, I wanna meet this teacher and now that I’m thinking about it, whoever snitched on you too.”
Gruff scowled when she mentioned Nathmar, “Sure, we’re almost there.”
He wasn’t wrong either, it was only a few more minutes before the two of them walked through the doors of the Theatre Hall. Gruff led his mom up the stairs to Mr. Neverember’s room and wondered if there was anything he could do to sit this conversation out, he really didn’t want to discuss his apparent ‘future’ in acting. Unfortunately he knew there wasn’t anything he could do, so he knocked on the door to Mr. Neverember’s room dreading what was to come.
It only took a minute for the teacher in question to answer his door, and his eyes widened in shock seeing Gruff accompanied by his mom. He seemed to recover quickly enough though, “Well I’d expected Gruff after his friend came by, but I have to say I didn’t expect him to have company.” he held his hand out to Gruff’s mom, “Raenar Neverember.”
His mom took the hand, “Cassa Matis. I’m the mother to this lump of trouble.”
Mr. Neverember chuckled, “Well it’s good to meet you nonetheless. I assume you're here to discuss Gruff’s role in the upcoming production?”
She saw his mom try to fight the smirk growing on her face, “Somewhat, but more importantly I’m wondering where you get your stuff.”
Mr. Neverember raised an eyebrow, confused, “I beg your pardon?”
She didn’t even fight it anymore, “I mean you have to have some strong stuff if you thought Gruff was a good fit for the lead in your play.”
Mr. Neverember seemed to catch on and chuckled, “I suppose one would think me slightly mad for my decision, but I regret to inform you I was quite sober when I made it.”
He heard his mom click her tongue, “Shame, I’d have liked to try something that strong.”
Mr. Neverember chuckled again, “As would I. But I suppose you weren’t here just to make jokes, were you Gruff?”
Gruff shook his head, “I don’t want to be the lead. I’ll still perform, I just don’t want to be the lead.”
Mr. Neverember sighed, “Unfortunately that is not a request I can grant. Not only has the cast list been released, I have a personal rule about not letting student’s change or drop roles.”
Gruff growled, but a look from his mom cooled him off, “Why not? You know the rest of the club won’t like this either right? Jhison about attacked me when we ran into each other a few minutes ago.”
Mr. Neverember’s eyes widened, “He had another episode today?”
Both Gruff and his mother looked confused, though his mother a little less so, “Episode?”
Mr. Neverember sighed, “I suppose if you’re going to be a part of this club and have already seen the ailment, you deserve to know.” he stepped to the side, “Please come in, this is going to take a minute.”
Gruff followed behind his mom, who took a seat at one of the front desks in the classroom. Mr. Neverember closed the door behind them, then pulled up his chair and sat in front of the two of them, “What I’m about to tell you is very sensitive information. The only people who know about Jhison’s ailment in the school are the others in the club and his teachers for when he needs to leave class due to an episode. The former were only told because of an unfortunate incident with a student who has since been banned from participating in any plays, however much he may like to act like he wasn’t.”
Gruff couldn’t keep his mouth closed, “If it’s so dangerous that it needs this much hiding, why was even allowed to apply to the school?”
His mom began to scold him, “Gruff that’s-”
Mr. Neverember raised a hand, “It’s quite alright Mrs. Matis, it’s a valid question. The reason is because outside of perhaps once incident a year, the ailment is quite manageable. To an outsider, one would never guess Jhison had been attending therapy at least once a week since he was six years old, or that he’d been taking medication daily.”
He saw his mom nod, “That tracks a little bit with what we saw today. The boy was like a walking corpse before he saw Gruff. Became a nearly different person once he did.”
Mr. Neverember, “Not too surprising unfortunately, considering Gruff is probably the primary reason the anger is as active as it is today.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, “The anger?”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “The name we use for Jhison’s ailment. Its primary trigger is anger, so we felt it was an appropriate name. Certainly easier to keep under wraps that way.”
His mom leaned forward, “You keep dancing around the actual name. Just tell us already.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “Very well. Mr. Benevill has been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and minor Sociopathic tendencies. This manifests as the anger you saw today. When his illness overtakes him, he becomes careless, crude and worst of all cruel, even to his own girlfriend should she, quote unquote, ‘stand in his way.’ It’s been something he’s had to deal with all of his life, but due to his diligence in recovery he’s got a manageable hold on it. Nowadays he’s able to go about his day to day with no one the wiser of what goes on inside his head.”
Gruff heard his mom let out a low whistle, “That’s a tough kid, I’ll give him that.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “Though he’d be the last one to say it. Unfortunately his diligence comes from self-hatred rather than a desire to get better. I assume you met his girlfriend Kesta today, yes?” Gruff saw his mom nod, “It could be said she could be attributed to most of his recovery. She’s been by his side since he received his diagnosis and Jhison finds her to be his main reason for recovery to, ‘give her the person she deserves to have’ if I may use his own words.”
His mom raised an eyebrow, “That doesn’t sound healthy.”
Mr. Neverember shook his head, “It’s not. Fortunately Kesta, Jhison’s therapist and I have been able to get him away from that kind of thinking over the past few years, but you can still see that kind of thinking creep up every once in a while.”
Gruff spoke up, “So he’s got an illness that makes him flip out at people and he’s not being watched or kept separated?”
Mr. Neverember shook his head, scowling a bit, “There hasn’t been a need and frankly I don’t care for the insinuation in your words Gruff. Jhison is not some lunatic we need to be afraid of, he’s a person who’s got his own set of problems just like everyone else, unfortunately his are just a bit more dangerous.”
Gruff scowled back, “Whatever, so why did he have an ‘episode’ today?”
Mr. Neverember sighed, “That would be because you earned the part he’d dreamed of having his entire life.”
Gruff tilted his head in confusion, “What?”
Mr. Neverember looked at Gruff, “You did the homework I assigned you, yes?” Gruff nodded, “Then you might understand that, due to the nature of his condition, Jhison felt a connection with Dr. Jekyll. Someone who wanted to banish the evil inside of everyone and leave only the good, only to fall victim to their own darkness? You couldn’t have written a more perfect character for Jhison to compare himself to. From what Kesta and Jhison himself have told me, Jhison had been practicing for this part since he knew he could one day get it. There’s not a song he doesn't know by heart, a character he hasn’t dissected, or a line he hasn’t memorized across every edition he could get his hands on. And finding out today that part would be played by the up and comer who joined a few days before auditions? I can’t say I’m surprised the anger took over, but I do wish it hadn’t.”
Gruff felt a little rage build up, “So then why not give it to him instead? He’d be perfect for it if he’s done that much work.”
Mr. Neverember locked eyes with Gruff, “Because your audition showed a hidden talent not many have. The ferocity you showed on stage when you ‘transformed’ into Hyde is something only a true few can showcase. Your singing could use a bit of work no doubt, but in just under a week, you were able to memorize and perform a song on stage that I doubt you’d ever heard before, with very few mistakes made. This decision was not easy, I lost sleep trying to decide on who would earn this part, but in the end I knew you were the one I wanted center stage.”
Mr. Neveremebr leaned back in his chair, “Make no mistake, I understand you don’t want this, but I’ve made my decision. Nothing, but something truly drastic happening would make me change my mind and before you get any ideas, I feel it’s my duty to remind you that anything drastic would not only remove you from the role, but from the club as well. We both know what happens after that.”
Gruff scoffed, “Yeah, expulsion.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “Indeed. It’s not an ultimatum I care to leverage, but it’s one I will use all the same.”
Gruff saw his mom, who’d been silent the last few minutes, stand up and walk over to Mr. Neverember, “Well, seems Gruff’s got a lot of work ahead of him then.” she held out a hand towards Mr. Neverember who took it, “Thank you for your time Neverember, but I think we’d best be leaving. We’ve got one more stop to make before I head home and I’m assuming you’ve got a class to teach.”
Mr. Neverember stood up and nodded, “Indeed. It was very nice to meet you, though I wish it was under better circumstances.”
Gruff saw his mom wave off Mr. Neverember’s words, “Think nothing of it.” she turned to Gruff, “Come on, I wanna meet the snitch.”
Gruff groaned as she stood up from the desk, “Fine, but I’m gonna deck him when we do see him.”
He saw his mom smile, “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
The two of them walked towards the door and Mr. Neverember opened it for them, calling out right as they went down the stairs, “I look forward to seeing you at rehearsals Gruff.”
Gruff scowled, but waved to him nonetheless. He trudged down the stairs, his mother walking beside him. They exited the hall and started walking towards the dorms, thoughts swirling around in Gruff’s head.
His mother nudged him, “Copper for your thoughts?”
Gruff shrugged, “Still don’t want to be the lead.”
He heard her chuckle, “Stubborn little runt, ain’t ya?”
Gruff smirked back, “Who you calling runt, that is what you said down there yeah?”
Gruff dodged the smack aimed for his head with practiced ease, “Watch your tone boy, height advantage or no I can still kick your ass.”
Gruff smiled, he enjoyed this routine they had and wouldn’t trade it for the world. But that smile was quickly replaced once he saw they were getting close to the dorms.
His mom nudged him, “So what’s the plan? You grapple him from the front and I get the chair to tie him to?”
Gruff nodded, not bothering to ask where the rope would come from, “Heads up though, he’s a Shifter, you’ll wanna use a strong knot.”
The grin that grew on his mom’s face made him grow his own, “This is going to be fun.”
The two quickly made their way up to the second floor, Gruff grabbing his keys from his pocket as they made their ascent. They quietly made their way to the door and Gruff unlocked it. Once he had, they burst through it scaring the Shifter sitting on the couch. They didn’t give Nathmar a moment to recover, Gruff quickly closed the gap and wrapped his arms around Nathmar’s midsection. Almost immediately he felt Nathmar shift and the struggle began. Unfortunately for Nathmar, Gruff had the element of surprise on his side and he was able to lift him and began to drag him over to where his mom had set up one of the kitchen chairs. Depositing Nathmar in the chair while still keeping a grip on his arms, his mom began to tie Nathmar to the chair, wrapping the rope she’d somehow manifested around his torso several times before tying a knot Gruff didn’t quite know the name of to keep Nathmar in place.
Nathmar cursed, “What the fuck Gruff? The hell is this for?”
Gruff snarled, “Pretty sure even you’ve heard the saying ‘snitches get stitches’.”
Nathmar growled right back, “Oh fuck off. If telling the headmaster you were about to make the biggest mistake of your life is snitching then I’m fucking Fredo Corleone.”
Gruff tilted his head confused, “Who?”
Nathmar stopped struggling, and looked confused himself, “Godfather II? One of the most famous movie snitches?”
His mom spoke up behind Nathmar, “Been meaning to show him that trilogy. Hadn’t gotten there yet.”
Nathmar looked like he’d been kicked in the gut, “Now that’s sad,” he turned his head to look behind him, “also, who are you?”
His mom waved, “Cassa Matis, Gruff’s mom.”
Nathmar nodded, “That makes sense. Mariner’s clothes, good knot tying skills and you two worked in near perfect sync. I’d be impressed if I wasn’t so pissed, honestly.”
Gruff’s mom laughed, “I like him.”
Gruff groaned, “We’re supposed to be intimidating him, not making nice. He’s a snitch, remember?”
His mom rolled her eyes, “I’m aware Gruff, let me have my fun though.”
Gruff groaned and headed into the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets until he found what he was looking for, a bottle of vanilla extract. Nathmar raised an eyebrow in confusion as Gruff returned with it in hand, “What’s that for?”
Gruff smiled, “You remember that time you told me this stuff tasted exactly like it smelled?”
Nathmar froze, “You wouldn’t.”
Gruff shook his head, “I can’t, one more strike and I’m gone remember?”
Nathmar looked relieved, until Gruff tossed the bottle to his mom who uncapped it and grinned madly. Nathmar began to struggle again, but he couldn’t do much as Gruff forced his mouth open and his mom poured a few drops onto his tongue.
Nathmar spat and coughed as the extract began to affect his taste buds, “Oh gods, it’s so bad.”
Gruff smirked as he watched the show, “Maybe now you’ll understand not to snitch.”
Nathmar groaned, still trying to rid his mouth of the taste, “Alright! I’m sorry. Please just end my suffering.”
Gruff let it continue for a few more minutes before nodding to his mom. Just as quickly as he was tied up, Nathmar was free. He rushed to the fridge, looking for something to clean his taste buds, while Gruff and his mom put the room back together. Nathmar sighed, clearly having found something to get the taste out of his mouth, and walked back into the main room.
Nathmar shook his head, “Gods alive Gruff, I’ve heard of cruel and unusual punishment before, but I’m pretty sure that could be classified as torture in some places.” he looked at Gruff’s mom, “You trained him well.”
Gruff saw his mom smirk, “I do my best.”
Nathmar sighed, “Well guess I should help you pack your stuff, yeah?”
Gruff shook his head, “No. I’m sticking around.”
Nathmar’s eyes widened in shock, “Really? I thought you were dead set on leaving?”
Gruff’s mom spoke up, “Well turns out that while you may be a snitch, you know who to go to. The headmaster gave me a call and I came down to screw Gruff’s head back on straight.”
Nathmar looked between the two of them, before settling his gaze on Gruff, “So…you’re really here for good?”
Gruff nodded, “Yep.”
Nathmar sighed in relief, “Oh thank the gods. I was not looking forward to getting another roommate.”
Gruff laughed, “There’s no way they’d be any worse than me.”
Nathmar shook his head, “Oh no doubt, but at least I know your brand of chaos. Having to train the next guy would not have been fun.”
Gruff mom interrupted the two, “As much fun as it would be to hear your little domestic dispute, I need to be getting back to my ship, I left my crew to handle clean up and what kind of captain would I be if I left my crew to do all the work?”
With that, Gruff watched his mom navigate towards the door, giving Gruff a quick hug as she passed him and as she reached the door frame she looked back at Nathmar, “Thanks for being a good friend to my son.”
Nathmar nodded at her, “It’s my pleasure.”
Gruff watched her nod and leave the dorm.
Gruff turned to Nathmar after she left, “Hey…thanks for telling the headmaster.”
Nathmar looked at Gruff warily, “This isn't a trick is it?”
Gruff shook his head, “No. You all were right, I realized that when my mom showed up to the meeting. I accepted my scholarship because I wanted to make her proud…shouldn’t throw that away because of some stupid play.”
Nathmar nodded at Gruff’s words, “I’m glad to hear it. Hey, how about we order in tonight? I still need to get this bad taste out of my mouth and you deserve a good meal.”
Gruff smirked as Nathmar went to go order the food, ‘Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.’
Notes:
Aww, don't you love to see family members torture someone together? Just brings a tear to my eye. Thanks anyone who read this far, I know it was longer than anything else I've posted, and I hope to see you all next time.
Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Notes:
Hello again those who stick around. This chapters probably gonna be a bit shorter than the more recent ones simply due to the fact that school is ending up a lot more time consuming than I thought it would. Thankfully I was still able to get this out and in a state that I like.
Also a quick trigger warning, this chapter contains allusions to self harm from the words 'Gruff heard' to 'Therumani seemed'. Feel free to skip those parts if they're too uncomfortable.
With that, thanks once more to our wonderful DM and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
‘You know I bet Ms. Blymah would actually let me sleep if I played the episode card.’ Jhison shook his head, ‘Wow, when was the last time I thought that was a good idea? Yesterday really fucked me up.’
Jhison sat in the back of his Meteorology class, notebook out but the page in front of him empty despite the amount of notes he should have taken. Instead of him sitting attentive, pencil in hand, he was slouched over his desk, head in hand and holding back a yawn. Anyone looking at him would assume he was just tired and not still recovering from two separate BPD episodes the day prior.
Jhison mentally scoffed, ‘Though I suppose it’s no surprise. After nearly being guaranteed the part, I find out it’s being given to Gruff. Kesta wasn’t wrong, anyone would be angry at that. Just wish my anger didn’t come with cruelty. Need to get something for her to apologize.’
Jhison stole a glance at the clock, ‘Only a few minutes till we’re done. Then I get to deal with the entirety of the drama club asking me what happened.’ he ran the hand that was propping him up over his face, ‘Joy.’
Jhison put his thoughts on hold, deciding to attempt to pay attention for the last few minutes of class. Once he heard the bell, he packed up and followed his usual routine of going to the medical wing to see Kesta. He was slower than he usually was, so she stood outside her classroom waiting for him by the time he got there. She gave him a look of pity, one he couldn’t blame her for, and walked up to him, wrapping him in a hug once she’d reached him.
“How are you doing Starlight?” she asked, worry plaguing her voice.
“I’ll be fine my Silver Bullet. Just not looking forward to fielding questions from the others today.” he replied, holding her tightly.
Kesta broke the hug, grabbing his hand as she did, “I’m pretty sure they’ll lay off since you didn’t show up to class yesterday.”
Jhison smirked as they began walking towards her next class, “I know you haven’t been on the other side of a Savah interrogation, but trust me; if the rest don’t pull the information from me, she will.”
Kesta hummed in worry, “Do you think you’ll be okay talking about it?”
Jhison sighed, “I’m not sure, but if worse comes to worse Illusandra will be able to help.”
Indeed, while it wasn’t ideal for the two of them, they preferred to keep such scenes in which the words were necessary private, Illusandra had been present for the aftermath when Jhison had snapped at Vernon so many years ago. Since then, if Kesta wasn’t able to be there to talk him down, Illusandra was trusted to help. A job and trust she took seriously.
Kesta nodded, “I suppose you’re right. Remind me, rehearsals start today, yes?”
Jhison nodded, gritting his teeth slightly, “Indeed, though I don’t know if Gruff will be there today or not. I know he doesn't come every day, but he hasn’t been coming long enough for me to determine what his schedule is.”
Kesta bit her lip nervously, “...is it bad that I hope today’s a day he doesn’t come?”
Jhison chuckled, “I can’t say I don’t share the sentiment. I’m very much hoping the anger doesn’t take hold again the next time I see him, but I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.”
Kesta nodded, sighing, “I suppose you’re right.” she looked up, “I guess this is where we part ways.”
Jhison looked up as well, seeing they were at the spot they usually split up at, “Indeed…I don’t want to though.”
Kesta chuckled, “Neither do I, but class calls for both of us.” she faced Jhison, then had him lean down to give him a kiss, “I’ll see you at rehearsal, okay?”
Jhison nodded, then the two walked away from each other. Jhison tried not to look back, deciding that he needed to face what was about to happen head on, ‘You’ll be fine Jhison. They know what would happen if they pushed too far. They wouldn’t risk the anger taking over. Just breathe.’
Jhison kept his mental mantra going until he reached the Theatre Hall. He took his time walking up the stairs leading the classroom, still dreading the questions despite his mantra. All too soon though, he’d reached Mr. Neverember's classroom and sighed as he opened the door. The silence that filled the room as everyone turned to look at him was deafening. Savah stood up from her desk and walked to where Jhison was standing at the front of the class. Before he could get any words out, he felt his breath get knocked out of him as Savah wrapped him into a hug.
Before he could say anything Savah broke the hug and locked eyes with him, “I’m so sorry Jhison. We all are.” Jhison saw the rest of the class nod at her words, “Are you going to be okay?”
Jhison sighed, the weight in his chest lifting, “I’ll be fine. Kesta worked with me all day yesterday. There’s little chance of the anger coming back.”
Savah nodded, “You don’t have to accept this you know. We can all talk with Mr. Neverember, he’ll have to change his mind.”
Jhison considered the offer before shaking his head, “I doubt it would work. Mr. Neverember was adamant that he wouldn’t budge, even if Gruff himself told him he wanted to switch parts.”
He could see the class wasn’t happy with the answer, but they knew as well as he did that Mr. Neverembers word was final.
Savah growled, “It’s still not fair. We all knew how important that part was to you. To give it to Gruff like that…”
Beetle spoke up, “Really darling, there must be some reason. Gruff’s audition was fine, but it hardly held a candle to yours.”
Jhison shook his head, not willing to give up the information, “It doesn’t matter now, what's done is done.” He decided to divert the conversation, “Besides, I believe congratulations are in order. Savah, Beetle well done. I’m glad you two will be the primary actors for Lucy and Stride.” he looked towards the back where Grey sat, “Sorry about that understudy role Grey.”
Grey shrugged, “I’ll take what I’m given. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Jhison smirked, “Stoic as ever I see. Illusandra, I’m torn I admit. I’m happy Kesta got the part, but I wish you didn’t have to get booted to Understudy for it.”
Illusandra waved her hand, brushing Jhison’s words off, “It’s fine. Just means I get to show her how to be your wife on stage, a role I know quite well.”
Jhison chuckled, “Both you and Savah. Don’t tease her too much, yes?”
Illusandra smirked, “You know I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”
Jhison sighed, happy the heavy atmosphere that had filled the classroom had lifted, “I suppose not.” he looked at Savah in front of him, “Thank you for checking on me.”
Savah nodded, “Of course.” She then stepped aside to let him walk to his desk. The walk was accompanied by the apologetic looks of his classmates, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his face. He had to admit, he’d expected a far different reaction to the news than what he received.
He mentally chuckled, ‘Suppose that’s what I get for assuming. They’re far too kind to interrogate me for something like that.’
As he began to sit down, the door opened again and the teacher of the hour entered his classroom. Jhison noticed quite a few glares were sent Mr. Neverembers way, but if the teacher noticed he paid no mind to it.
Mr. Neverember looked to where Jhison was sitting and smiled at him, “I’m glad to see you here with us today Jhison. Though I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d taken a few days to recover.”
Jhison shrugged, “No point in putting off the inevitable. I felt fine this morning and I didn’t think missing two days of instruction in a row was a good idea.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “Well it’s good to see you all the same.”
Savah spoke up from her desk, “So we’re really going to pretend like you didn’t cause the episode yesterday?”
Jhison fixed Savah with a scalding glare, “Savah, enough. Mr. Neverember does not deserve that blame.”
Savah didn’t back down, “Then enlighten me to who does? Because you’ve been episode free for almost an entire year and what makes you fall into it? Mr. Neverember giving away your part to someone who can barely hold a candle to your talent.”
Jhison began to protest, but Mr. Neverember raised a hand to stop him, “It’s alright Jhison. If there needs to be a villain for this story I’m more than willing to be it. I was the one who released the cast list and that caused your anger to take over.”
Jhison started, “But-”
Mr. Neverember cut him off, “Jhison, enough. We cannot change what’s happened. I’m fine with the blame being laid at my feet.” he turned to the rest of the class, “However, if you think that will make me change my mind and switch the parts, then I’m afraid you are quite mistaken. Gruff himself has told me he did not want to do this part and I did not let him give it up. If this makes you wish to leave the performance, you have my blessing to do so with no penalty.”
The room fell silent, everyone looking around to see if anyone would leave, but no one did.
Savah growled, “Fine. But I’m fairly certain you’ll come to regret the decision you’ve made.”
Mr. Neverember shrugged, “Perhaps I will.” he turned towards the board, “Now…”
Class continued on as though the weight of the conversation didn’t still hang in the air. Jhison had one last thought before paying attention in earnest, ‘Rehearsal’s going to be interesting today, isn’t it?’
------------
Gruff trudged up the stairs to the second floor of the library, not looking forward to the conversation he was about to have. While he couldn’t say he entirely regretted what he said, he did know that Feru’ma didn’t deserve it for trying to help him. So he was hoping that Feru’ma still showed up for his tutoring session.
Reaching the top of the stairs, he began to scan the room. Unfortunately he didn’t find the head of red hair he was looking for, but he did see the dark hair of her girlfriend. She wasn’t alone though, she was talking with yet another elf with platinum blond hair wearing a full moon necklace. He grimaced, but walked over to where Therumani and the elf were sitting, hoping she’d be able to tell him where Feru’ma might be, or at least pass on a message if she wouldn’t tell him.
Therumani and the elf noticed his approach and he saw Therumani scowl at him, “What do you want?”
Gruff felt himself start to get defensive, but tried to hold it back, “I want to talk to Feru’ma. I want to apologize.”
That seemed to catch Therumani off guard, if the raised eyebrow was any indication, “And why should I believe you? Frankly it’s taking everything in me to not hit you again for even speaking her name after what you said to her.”
The other elf laid a hand on Therumani’s, “Calm down love. Your eyes are starting to change.”
Gruff hadn’t noticed it before, but the other elf was right. Therumani’s eyes had changed from their usual pale green to an almost blood red.
Gruff raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Seems like you’ve got your own secrets.”
Therumani growled, looking ready to jump out of her chair, but the other elf tightened her grip on Therumani’s hand, “Media Luna, I know you’re angry,” she looked at Gruff, “and you have every right to be,” she turned back to Therumani, “But you know our Sanguis Lunae wouldn’t want you to lash out like this.”
Therumani looked between Gruff and the other elf before sighing, “Your right Fehe, she wouldn’t.” she stood up, the other elf standing with her, before looking at Gruff, “Come on, we’ll take you to her.”
Gruff nodded, before stepping aside to let them pass. He followed them out of the library and towards the dorms. He wanted to ask why Theumani’s eyes changed, who the other elf was and why they were holding hands, though he had a pretty good guess for that last one, but he figured Therumani was about one wrong word away from making good on her threat from earlier so he kept his mouth shut. The two elfs led him towards a room on the first floor, presumably Feru’ma’s and they knocked on the door.
After a minute the door was opened by a disheveled looking Feru’ma. Her crimson hair was wild in comparison to how well kept it usually looked, strands of hair sticking straight up everywhere. Her face didn’t look much better, eyes red from crying and no makeup to speak of. She opened her mouth, before her eyes landed on Gruff and she closed it, her lips forming into a tight line.
“Why is he here?” she asked, voice clipped.
Therumani looked apologetic, “He said he wanted to apologize. I figured you should hear it for yourself.”
Feru’ma looked him over, clearly trying to see if he was telling the truth, before sighing, “Very well. Come in then.”
Feru’ma entered the dorm, the other elf following behind her and as Gruff began to make his way inside, Therumani grabbed his arm forcing him down to her level.
She began to whisper into his ear, “You say anything to her that I don’t like, you better make sure you’ll be at peace with not being able to have children in this lifetime. Am I clear?”
Gruff nearly laughed, the likelihood of that happening was already very low, but he figured that wouldn’t go over well so he nodded, “Crystal.”
Therumani nodded, then let him go and entered the dorm, Gruff following behind her. He took a minute to look over his surroundings. The rooms in the dorms were all similar in layout, but the girls had put a lot more on the walls than he or Nathmar had in their dorm room. Wallpapers of the moon in its different phases took up one wall, another wall was host to characters Gruff didn’t recognize and the final wall seemed to be where the girl kept their photos. Many of them seemed to have been taken outside.
Gruff heard Therumani’s voice come from ahead of him, “Let me see your arms Fehe.”
Feru’ma didn’t protest, simply raising her arms palms up. Therumani tried to shield them from Gruff’s eyes, but even with that he could see numerous thin scars running up and down her arms. Gruff grimaced slightly, he was no stranger to scars but the sheer number unsettled him.
Therumani seemed satisfied with what she saw, “Good, nothing new. Have you spiraled at all today since we left?”
Feru’ma nodded, “A little, but it wasn’t too bad. Decided to focus on my assignments instead.”
Therumani sighed and Gruff noticed the other elf come out from the kitchen holding a small teapot. She placed it down on the coffee table, “I made tea. Jasmine.”
Feru’ma looked at the elf, “You hate Jasmine Lu’nafi.”
The elf, now named Lu’nafi, shrugged, “Today’s not about me now is it, Sanguis Lunae?”
Feru’ma sighed, “I suppose not, my light.” she turned to Gruff, “Take a seat. I suppose we have quite a bit to talk about.”
Gruff nodded, grabbing a chair from the kitchen and setting it up in the center of the room in front of the coffee table. The three girls took a seat on the couch Feru’ma sitting between Lu’nafi and Therumani, the two on the end holding the hands of Feru’ma.
Gruff noticed and decided to try and break the tension, “Seems like I didn’t get the whole story the other day. I take it you’re all together?”
Feru’ma nodded, not quite meeting Gruff’s eyes, “Indeed. I suppose we have time for a story.”
She turned to look at Therumani, “We met at one of my family’s balls. She’d yet to make her formal debut so I had no idea who she was.” she smiled slightly, “I nearly called the guards on her, but there was something in her eyes that made me hold my tongue. We started to talk and what had started as another boring event became a night I’ll never forget.”
She then turned to look at Lu’nafi, “Therumani and I had been together for a while before we met Lu’nafi. She was such a bundle of energy to talk to and the way her face lit up when you got her talking about something she loves, it made you want to be one of those things. She was just as good a listener too. Before either of us knew it, we’d fallen for her and asked her to join our relationship. I suppose you can see how that conversation went.”
Gruff nodded, “I’m glad you all have each other. I’m sure it’s nice to know you’ve got people like them in your corner.”
Feru’ma nodded, squeezing the hands of her girlfriends, “They’ve made my life worth living. I’d have never made it this far without them.”
Therumani smiled at Feru’ma, then looked at Gruff, “Alright that’s enough story time. Say what you’re here to say.”
Gruff nodded, “I’m sorry for what I said yesterday in the library. You were only trying to help me and I said something that crossed a line. If you don’t want to tutor me anymore I get it, but frankly I don’t want another tutor.”
Feru’ma seemed to consider his words for a moment before speaking, “I…I don’t think I can accept your apology Gruff. What you said hit a very personal scar and frankly I can barely look at you without bile rising to my throat.” she took a breath, then looked right at Gruff, “But I won’t refuse a student who’s making an honest effort to get better. You want me for a tutor? Then you’ll have me.”
Gruff smiled, “Thank you. I’ll do my best to make sure you don’t regret this.”
Feru’ma smiled back, “I’m sure you will. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
Gruff nodded before getting up from the chair and making his way out of the dorm. He’d almost made it out before he heard someone call out for him. To his surprise, it wasn’t Therumani who’d followed him, but Lu’nafi.
Gruff stopped so she could talk to him, the elf in question breathing heavily once she’d reached him, “Thank you for stopping, I didn’t think I’d catch you in time.”
Gruff shrugged, “It’s nothing.”
Lu’nafi drew a deep breath then released it, “Therumani probably already gave you the ‘violent’ protective girlfriend talk, so I suppose I’ll give you a lighter version. Please consider what you say to Feru’ma in the future. I was able to calm Therumani down today, but I might not be so lucky next time and frankly I don’t want to see her in trouble or Feru’ma crying like she was yesterday. What you said to her caused a depression spiral I haven’t seen from her in a very long time.”
Lu’nafi fixed Gruff with a hard look, “I don’t like seeing either of my girlfriends upset. So please, for both your sake and mine, think about what you're saying next time.”
Gruff nodded, “That was the plan.”
Lu’nafi smiled, “Then I wish you a good rest of your day Mr. Sharptooth.” With that, she turned on her heel and began to return to the dorm the three shared.
Gruff couldn’t help but smile as she left, ‘They really do care for her. Good, she deserves that much at least.’
Gruff finished his exit from the dorms and began his journey to the Theatre Hall, ‘Can’t say I’m looking forward to what’s gonna happen today.’
Gruff’s walk seemed far too short for his liking and before he knew it he was walking through the double doors towards the main stage. There wasn’t anyone else there yet so he decided to take a seat in one of the back row seats. He closed his eyes, just waiting for someone to come in and, surprisingly, he didn’t have to wait long. One of the doors opened and one of the last people he thought he’d see walked through it.
“What the hell are you doing here Nathmar?” Gruff asked, surprised.
Nathmar smirked, “I’m here for rehearsal dipshit.”
Gruff groaned, “Oh you’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Notes:
My goodness so many people seem to want to be in this play. Can't say I blame them, Jekyll and Hyde is quite good.
Jokes aside, thank you for reading and I hope to see you next month.
Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Notes:
Greetings. I hope you've all had a pleasant March and that this chapter helps mark the beginning of a pleasant April. Not much to say her other than the customary 'Thank you' to my DM for reading this over once more. I do hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Before coming to Waterdeep University, Nathmar Romere figured he had a pretty normal life. Sure his parent’s expectations about his future could be lowered slightly (honestly, where they got the idea he’d ever be the one to lead a wrestling team, let alone go Olympic, he’d never know), but that was one small thing in comparison to how amazing his life had been so far. Then one Gruff Sharptooth came into his life, and things got more interesting than he ever could have bargained for.
It seemed like Gruff was always in the middle of something interesting. Whether it was a fight off campus because someone was talking shit about the wrestling team, to pulling off one of the craziest dares in campus history (seriously, how did he manage to get all those chickens in such a short deadline?), one could never say they were bored around Gruff. However, even Nathmar had to admit, he’d never, in his entire life, think that he’d find himself sitting next to Gruff in the Theatre Hall because they were both part of the same play.
Gruff was leveling a cold stare at Nathmar, “So you’re in the play too?”
Nathmar shrugged, smirking, “You betcha.”
Gruff looked skeptical, “And you got around the audition process, how?”
Nathmar smirk never fell, “Well when one of your best friends starts making stupid decisions, teachers are a lot more lenient with their rules.”
Gruff groaned and put his face in his hands. Nathmar gave him a pat on the back, “Aw, don’t worry buddy. I’m not part of the main cast, just the ensemble.”
Gruff raised his head to give Nathmar a side-eye, “The hell is that?”
Nathmar mentally slapped himself, “Right, you don’t know theater terms. It’s people who sing and move around in the background, basically the people who stand around in movies doing nothing but making it so the scene isn’t empty.”
Gruff scoffed, “I could do that. Instead I’m having to play Heckyll and Jyde”
Nathmar grimaced, “I can’t tell if you’re saying the names wrong on purpose or not and that’s concerning.”
Gruff smirked, “I bet it’ll annoy Jhison a hell of a lot more.”
Nathmar raised an eyebrow, “You sure you wanna be messing with the star performer? Pretty sure the other regulars won’t take kindly to you doing that.”
Gruff leaned back in the chair he was sitting in, “I don’t care if they don’t like me. Honestly I’d rather they want nothing to do with me so Mr. Neverember will give me a different part.”
Nathmar tried following the logic of his best friend, but came up short, “So your plan is to be so antagonistic Mr. Neverember will give you a different part?”
Gruff nodded. Nathmar facepalmed, “Gruff, I’m pretty sure Mr. Neverember would kick you out for doing that. I don’t think I need to remind you about what happens after that.”
Gruff scowled, “Trust me, with how many people keep reminding me I’m not forgetting any time soon.”
Nathmar lowered his hand back down, “Gruff I know this is a foreign concept to you, but how about you just take the L on this one and actually try to make this a good experience?”
Gruff made a faux thinking face, “Hmm…how about fuck no? I’m Seir, I don’t lose and I’m gonna lose here.”
Nathmar groaned, “I’ll never forgive the coach for giving you that name. As if you needed the ego boost.”
Nathmar looked at Gruff, ‘Looks like I’m gonna need to run damage control. Alright Nath, no letting this monster out of your sight.’ he smirked to himself, ‘Ah, so we’re back to when you couldn’t keep your eyes off him in the first place, huh?’
Nathmar didn’t have time to let that train of thought run, because the double doors that led into the theater opened and a pair of Tieflings came in, talking quickly in what seemed to Nathmar to be Infernal (Gruff seemed to be following along with the conversation so he figured he was right).
The conversation came to a halt once the two saw Nathmar and Gruff sitting nearby though and the one with silver horns spoke up, “Oh, we didn’t expect anyone else to be here this early.”
Nathmar shrugged, “My last class got out a lot earlier than expected so I figured I’d come in and familiarize myself with the place.” Gruff didn’t make any effort to explain himself.
The female Tiefling didn’t notice, or if she did she didn’t make a big deal out of it, “Ah, gotcha. We don’t have any classes today, but Dramosa’s always been a big stickler for punctuality.”
The male Tiefling, Dramosa he presumed, spoke up, “Only because we’d be late to everything if we followed your time clock, Therima.”
The now named Therima stuck her tongue out at Dramosa, then turned back towards the two of them, “So I recognize Gruff, though I’m pretty sure you’d be hard pressed to find someone on campus that hasn’t heard of him, but I don’t recall seeing you audition.”
Nathmar chuckled, “Ah, that’s probably because I’d gotten a stomach ache the day of my audition so I wasn’t able to perform. Mr. Neverember let me do my audition privately because of it. Still only got an ensemble role though.”
Nathmar hoped the story was believable, he didn’t feel the need to explain the actual circumstances to two total strangers, and thanked any deities listening that Gruff was smart enough to play along.
Therima squinted at him and Nather felt himself sweat a little under her gaze, but then she smiled after a minute, “Well I’m glad you still get to be a part of the play. This one seems like it’s going to be a lot more fun than it usually is.”
Nathmar raised an eyebrow, “Why’s that?”
Therima opened her mouth, but Dramosa beat her to it, “Because you two are here.”
Nathmar shot a glance towards the golden horned Tiefling, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Dramosa sighed, though not out of exasperation, it seemed like it was an apology sigh, “Therima craves drama. To her you two are the key to a whole new world of drama, even for a drama club that’s already pretty dramatic from everything we’ve heard.”
Therima smacked Dramosa on the arm, but Nahmar could see her holding back a laugh, “Don’t spoil it dummy!”
Dramosa shook his head, “I’m absolutely going to spoil it. You really need to stop trying to play puppet master, sooner or later you’re gonna piss off the wrong person.”
Therima let loose her laugh, before turning towards Nathmar and Gruff again, “He’s not incorrect though. Two jocks in a predominantly nerd setting, one of which stole the lead part right out from under the star of the club? Gods that’s already so delicious and we haven’t even gotten to the main course yet.”
Nathmar looked at Dramosa again, “Is she always like this?”
Dramosa looked apologetic, “Unfortunately, yes. I’ve been trying to reign her in for years, but I’ve never been able to make any progress. She does know how to turn it off, but she’d prefer to be like this all the time.”
Therima shrugged, “I just find drama to be the most filling meal in the world. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Nathmar sat stunned, “...have you considered therapy?”
Therima laughed, “Oh, I like you. Tried it, didn’t work out, got me an emotional support fuck buddy instead. Works wonders.”
Nathmar looked back at Dramosa, who’s already red skin was turning redder, “I’m assuming you’re said ‘buddy’?”
Dramosa let his head drop, “I do wish you’d use more tact when describing our relationship.” he raised his head back up, “To answer your question though: yes. We’re in a sexually beneficial relationship.”
Therima spoke up, “We tried the whole ‘dating’ thing, but neither of us were really feeling it. We’re super compatible in bed, not so much in a romantic sense.”
Dramosa nodded, “I don’t tend to agree with her often, but she’s quite correct here. We both want different things in a romantic sense, but being friends for so long does have certain benefits when it comes to sexual chemistry.”
Nathmar couldn’t say he understood it, but he wasn’t one to judge, “Well thank you for the far-more-detailed-than-it-needed-to-be explanation of your relationship. I wish you both the best.”
Therima smirked, “I could give you a much more detailed version if you wa-” she squawked as Dramosa elbowed her in the side, “Stop it. You’re making people uncomfortable for no reason at this point.”
Therima pouted, “I was just going to tell him how good you are in be-”
“I will get the duct tape.”
“But-”
Dramosa started to reach for his bag, before Therima held up her hands in defeat, “Fine! I’ll stop.”
Dramosa lowered his hand, “Thank you. Gods the fact I have to threaten you with the tape before you take the hint…”
Nathmar looked between the two of them before settling on Dramosa, “...do you actually carry duct tape with you?”
Dramosa sighed and ran a hand over his face, “I’ve found it to be the only thing that actually gets her to shut up. She hates the feeling of it over her lips and it’s quite painful to remove.”
“I’d imagine so…” Nathmar said, not quite sure what emotion he was feeling at the moment.
Therima seemed to pick up on this, and gave a defeated sigh, “Alright rare moment of sincerity. Much as I like to dick around and joke at Dramosa’s expense, he’s actually the reason I’m doing as well as I am right now mentally and socially. I don’t…get…people and that’s gotten me in trouble a lot, especially since I’m so drama crazy. He helps mellow me out, even if it’s just sex and I doubt I’d even be at the school if it weren’t for him.”
Dramosa smiled slightly and pulled her into a side hug, “And there she is, there’s my best friend.”
Therima slapped him in the chest, “Shut up, dork.”
Nathmar looked at the ground, “Why do I feel like I just participated in a three act play in the span of three minutes?”
Gruff laughed, “The space is already infecting you.”
Nathmar looked at Gruff, “Have you been here the whole time? You were so quiet I thought you’d left at some point.”
Gruff frowned, “I can be quiet when I want to. Besides, you do enough talking for the both of us.”
Nathmar opened his mouth to comment, but the doors opened again and the regular members of the club began to file in.
------------
Jhison was crossing his fingers as he waited outside the theater for Savah to give him the all clear, ‘Please don’t be here…please don’t be here…’
He heard Savah soon after, “FUCK!”
Jhison couldn’t help but laugh, ‘Guess he’s here then.’ he took a deep breath, ‘Guess it’s time to face the music.’ with that he walked into the main theater…and saw Gruff standing over Savah with a scowl on his face.
Jhison rushed over, “Gruff, don’t be angry at her. She did it on my behalf.” he shot a look at Savah, “Though you’d think she’d be a bit more subtle all things considered.”
Savah didn’t break eye contact with Gruff, “What can I say? I’m not one for hiding my feelings.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, “Guess we have something in common then, because I can’t say I really care for someone yelling ‘Fuck’ at me when I didn’t do anything to deserve it.”
Savah scowled, “You showed up after what happened yesterday, that’s all the reason I need.”
Jhison really didn’t want this to turn into a brawl so he put himself between Savah and Gruff, gently grabbed her shoulders and began to force her away from him. He leaned down and stopped at her ear once they were out of whispering ear-shot, “This isn’t helpful Savah. I know you’re trying to defend me, but making enemies isn’t going to solve this prob-”
*Crunch*
Jhison, Savah and Gruff all turned towards the noise. A female Tiefling, Therima if Jhison remembered correctly, was eating popcorn that had come from seemingly nowhere, her companion, Dramosa he thought, facepalming next to her.
Therima seemed to notice all eyes were on her, “...oh don’t mind me, I’m just enjoying the appetizer.”
Dramosa groaned, “You really need to stop referring to drama you're seeing as meals.”
“When you’re the one who lives off of drama, you can tell me what to do, but until then-”
“Alright nerds, nerdettes and nerd-binaries,” Ari said as she forced attention onto her, “That’s enough of the show. Raenar’s gonna be a minute so he’s left me in charge of the assignments. As today’s the first day, we’re gonna start with grouping you all by characters. Primary actors in one group, understudy’s in another and ensemble in yet another. If you’re unfortunate enough to have both a primary and understudy role, you’ll start in the primary group then switch over to the understudy group halfway through. If you’re a tech, you’re gonna meet me in the control booth”
Ari looked over the area, “Primary actors, you’re gonna be on stage. Understudies, stage right seats. Ensemble, stage left. If you ask me again, I’m gonna flip you off and tell you figure it out. Everyone clear?” no one spoke up, though whether it was out of actually understanding the instructions or out of fear Jhison couldn't tell, “Then get to it.”
Jhison let go of Savah and began to make his way over to the understudy seating, but was stopped by a hand grabbing his arm.
He turned and saw Kesta, looking slightly worried, “How are you doing Starlight?”
Jhison smiled, “I’ll be fine, my Silver Bullet. I’ve already seen him today and I didn’t feel the anger try to take over at all. Go on, your group’s waiting.”
Kesta looked skeptical, but she let go of him and began to make her way over the stage. Jhison sighed, wishing he could join her, before making his way over to the understudy group. It was surprisingly small, but Jhison figured that was due to two of the other understudies being the lead actors for characters that only briefly make an appearance.
After it seemed like everyone had gotten settled into their spots, Ari’s voice came from over the loudspeaker, “Alright, time to socialize. Everyone, introduce yourself to your respective groups. You can say whatever you want, but you need to include your name, pronouns, and what character part you have. Once you all make your introductions, we get to the ‘fun’ part for the ones with characters.”
Ari took a minute, Jhison smirking as she did since he knew what was coming, “You’ll be introducing yourself as your characters…gods Raenar you’re so fucking basic. ” everyone in the theater laughed, “For the ensemble…I don’t know, go crazy. Alright, that’s it. Get to it.”
Jhison nodded, before turning to his group, “Is it okay if I go first?” no one objected, so he began, “My name’s Jhison Benevill, I use he/him pronouns, and I’m the understudy for Jekyll and Hyde. I do hope we all get along.”
Illusandra went next, “I’m Illusandra Kestel, she/her and I’m the understudy for Emma. Frankly, this seems like it will be an interesting group.”
It didn’t take long for everyone to get through their introductions and soon they’d circled back to Jhison which meant it was time for character introductions.
Jhison began again, pitching his voice up slightly to emulate Dr. Jekyll, “Hello, my name is Dr. Henry Jekyll. My medical focus is on the morality of choices and whether our soul has any influence on those choices. I’m engaged to my lovely Fiance Emma Carew with our wedding date fast approaching. I do hope we can be good acquaintances.”
He took a minute before starting again, this time lowering his voice and attempting to make it sound suave, “Ah…it’s lovely to meet you all. My name is Edward Hyde, the counterpart to our dear Henry Jekyll. I love long walks on the beach, rooftop jumping…and casual murder. Don’t worry though, I have no reason to put any of you to the knife…unless you give me one that is.”
One of the other members in the understudy group gave him a light applause as he finished, “You seem to have those characters down pat.”
Jhison flushed, rubbing the back of his neck, “Well this is my favorite play. I’ve been working on those voices and such for a long time.”
Another member spoke up, “I’m surprised you didn’t get the leading role. Honestly when I saw Gruff Sharptooth of all people got the leading role, I had a hard time believing it.”
Jhison struggled to not let his smile fall, “Well I suppose only Mr. Neverember really knows why he made the decision he did. But we really should be getting on with the exercise.”
As Illusandra began to do her character introduction, Jhison couldn’t help but think, ‘I hope Kesta’s having a better time with this than I am.’
------------
The woman in question was, in fact, not having a better time of it. With Savah glaring at Gruff the entire time and Gruff glaring just as much, Kesta felt like she was watching a time bomb with no clock showing the countdown. She’d tried to play peacemaker, but neither of them were listening and she could only do so much. After what felt like forever, Ari announced the end of the exercise and Kesta let out a sigh of relief she’d only been slightly aware she’d been holding. That only lasted until Ari announced they’d now be pairing up by primary actors and their understudies.
‘You’ve got to be kidding me. Sure Ari, let’s throw the ill man in the lion's den with his trigger, that’s a great idea.’
“Darling I know you two can barely keep your eyes off each other normally, but this is a little ridiculous don’t you think?”
Kesta forced herself to look away from the stage where Gruff and Jhison had gotten together and turned towards Illusandra, the woman in question smirking.
Kesta sighed, “I’m sorry Illusandra, I’m just-”
Illusandra interrupted her, “You’re worried the anger will come back in full fury if those two are left alone.”
Kesta couldn’t do anything but look at her lap and nod. She felt Illusanrda lightly grab her chin and move her head to look at her, “He’ll be fine. Even if he does fall victim to the anger, he’ll have a set of wives ready to pull him back.” she winked as she finished her sentence.
Kesta giggled, “You’re not wrong I suppose, but I call dibs on being first wife.”
Illusandra laughed, “Take it, I don’t think I could compete for the position anyways. He’s far too gone for you.” she let a smile rest on her face, “Now how about I teach you how to play Jhison’s wife on stage?”
Kesta giggled again, “Oh that’s a role I’ve been preparing for my whole life.” her smile then turned into a sorrowful frown, “But…maybe you have some tips for overcoming stage fright? Jhison’s been doing his best, but he’s always thrived with other people looking at him. The thought of all those eyes on me…judging every move I make, every wrong note or line…it’s scary and he’s not able to understand it.”
Illusandra had been nodding along as Kesta spoke, before grimacing slightly, “Unfortunately I’m not much better. I’ve also thrived when there are eyes on me,” Illusandra placed a hand on top of Kesta’s, ”…but I can say one thing. You’ve already taken the biggest step possible in conquering your stage fright by being here. It’s going to be a long journey to opening night, but everyone in the club knows you can do it and that you’ll shine brilliantly on stage.”
Kesta shot a grateful smile towards Illusandra, “Thank you Illusandra. I hope you’re right.”
Illusandra smirked, “I know I am. Now I think we’re about to wrap up here soon, are you ready for tonight’s event?”
Kesta smiled, her worries temporarily forgotten, “Of course, I’ve loved it ever since Jhison dragged me to the first one.”
Illusandra winked at Kesta, “Watch out, I hear Savah’s got something extra special for you two tonight.”
Kesta rolled her eyes, “She always thinks she’ll get us, but she’s never succeeded.”
The two chatted animatedly until Ari’s voice was heard over the loudspeaker again, “Alright everyone, wrap up your conversations because it’s quitting time. If you’re a member of the drama club, or just want to be a pal, clean up the theater. I know I saw a few of you snacking during this, I don’t wanna see a single piece of garbage on the ground, got it?”
Kesta saw Therima smirk and open her mouth, “What about-” she didn’t get to finish her sentence as Dramosa seemed to have pulled a piece of duct tape out of nowhere and stuck it over her mouth.
Ari went silent for a second, “What the hell was that?”
Dramosa sighed before yelling back, “Me putting a stop to a childish joke before it could get off the ground.”
Kesta heard Therima scream as she pulled the duct tape off in one swipe, “Damn it Dramosa! Now I’m gonna have a weird feeling over my lips for the rest of the day!”
Dramosa yelled back at her, “I warned you!”
Ari spoke up again, “Alright you two, settle down. Everyone, get to work.”
Kesta quickly made her way over to Jhison, who’d started to look around where he was standing for garbage. He looked at her as she approached, and she thanked Istus that he seemed to be himself, “Did everything go okay Starlight?”
Jhison nodded, but he was grimacing, “It was…interesting to say the least. We didn’t really talk. He was angry at me for the whole ‘Savah yelling Fuck at him’ situation, which I’d say I was only twenty-five percent of the problem there, and…I admit I was still cautious of the anger taking over again so I didn’t really look at him, which probably didn’t help matters. But…we got through it.”
Ketsa sighed in relief, happy she didn’t have to worry about anything, “That’s good to hear. Let’s get the trash together.”
Thankfully with so many people helping the job was an easy one and they’d all completed it quickly. Mr. Neverember drew attention to himself with a loud clap of his hands once the work was complete, “Alright everyone, I think we’re off to a great start. The reservations have been made and I wish you all a relaxing weekend.”
Dramosa raised an eyebrow in question, “Reservations?”
Savah spoke up, “Yep, we’ve got a little tradition around here. After every first rehearsal, we all head down to…well I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but everyone who's part of the performance get’s to come.”
Therima grabbed Dramasoa’s shoulder, “Dramosa…my drama senses are tingling. We have to go.”
Ketsa looked over to where Gruff and a Shifter she hadn’t seen before were standing…and walked over to them.
Gruff gave her a scathing look once she’d reached them, “What do you want?”
Kesta flinched, not used to being on the receiving end of such ire, “Well…no one else is probably going to do this…so I figured I’d personally invite you two to the after rehearsal event.”
Gruff scoffed, “No w-”
The Shifter spoke over him, “We’ll be there.”
Gruff’s gaze quickly turned to his friend, “The hell you talking about Nathmar?”
Nathmar ignored Gruff, “Do you need to send us an address?”
Kesta shook her head, “We usually just head over altogether. Keeps the secret…well…secret.”
Nathmar nodded, “Any particular time?”
Gruff roared, “Hey, since when do you get to make decisions for me?”
Nathmar shot an icy glare towards Gruff, “Since you decided to pour vanilla extract onto my tongue.”
Kesta’s eyebrows rose in horror, “Why on earth would you do that to him?”
Gruff snarled, “Because he snitched on me.”
Nathmar sighed, “Not entirely untrue, but you’re leaving out some important details there bucko.” he turned to Kesta with an apologetic look on his face, “Sorry about this, but I’ll make sure he’s there. Is there a time we’re all supposed to meet up?”
Kesta shook her head, “We actually are supposed to head over now. It’s a small rite of passage for newcomers and all that.”
Nathmar grinned, “Ah a hazing ritual. Just like wrestling practice, yeah buddy?”
Gruff snarled, “Fuck you.”
Nathmar waved him off before slinging an arm over Gruff’s shoulders, “Lead the way purple lady!”
Kesta laughed, “Sure thing and it’s Kesta by the way.”
Nathmar grinned, “Well then miss Kesta, let’s get going.”
Kesta nodded before turning around and following the group that had started to exit the theater, Jhison trailing behind to let her catch up. Jhison looked nervous as she joined up with him, “Are you sure this is a good idea, my Silver Bullet?”
Kesta nodded, “Positive.”
Jhison looked skeptical, but he nodded anyway. Kesta looked behind her and smiled seeing that the two wrestlers were following behind.
The group moved off campus and into the city proper, the weekend nightlife already starting to come out. It was an hour’s walk away, but with the company they had, the time went by much faster and soon they found themselves in front of a two story building, the front glowing with neon signs of two microphones on either side of a speaker set in the center.
Savah stood in front of the entrance, right underneath the neon sign with the name of the establishment, “Welcome newbies, to ‘The Siren’s Lair’!”
Notes:
I'm not going to lie, I'm very excited to write the next chapter. I've been playing that one up in my head for a while. Hopefully it meets expectations. That's all from me, see you next month.
Chapter 15: Chapter 15
Notes:
Welcome everyone to the new chapter. I hope this past month has treated you well and that you're looking forward to the chapter I've prepared. I'll come right out and say it, things are going to get heavy during this chapter, but hopefully you'll still have enough serotonin after I out my music preferences. Should be a fun time.
As always, this chapter has been reviewed by the fantastic DM of our campaign, and I do hope you enjoy yourself.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jhison loved many things about the drama club, but he had to admit the trip to The Siren’s Lair was often the highlight of every performance. The building itself was quite unassuming and any newcomer to the city might think it nothing more than a small karaoke bar very few went to. However, once they walked inside they’d find that they were sorely wrong. Many people could be found sitting at one of the dozen or so tables that were spread around the first floor, some there simply to partake in the food, drink and company that could be found rather than the karaoke the second floor provided. The upper floor had seven rooms all about the same size and able to comfortably seat three dozen or so people. Each room was equipped with a television screen that would show the words of the selected song, as well as a stand underneath holding a detachable tablet for song selections as well as food and drink ordering. Along the wall near the door was a call button should any of the rooms need an employee for anything.
Jhison was broken out of his mental train of thought by the crowd moving forward into the building proper. He started to make a mental list of all the newcomers, ‘Alright; Dramosa, Therima, Gruff, his friend, Dr. Dragon, Dendrath, and Therumani if I’m remembering everyone’s names correctly.’
Kesta shot a look his way, “Everything okay?”
Jhison nodded, “Yes, just taking a mental note of how many people will be subjected to Savah’s personal brand of torture besides us.”
Kesta laughed, “I hear she's got something special planned for us.”
Jhison playfully shook his head, “When will she learn that we’re always prepared?”
Kesta didn’t get a chance to answer him as the volume of the lower floor began to overtake them. Savah led them to the bar near the front door where a well dressed Drow was overseeing the establishment.
The Drow smiled as he saw them, “Well well well, if it isn’t the Drama club. Been waiting for you all to show up.” He pulled out a set of three keycards and held them out to Savah, “Let us know if there’s anything you need.”
Savah accepted the cards, “We will Lucky. Same room as usual?”
Lucky nodded, “Yep, room and the first round of food and drinks were paid for by Raenar. I’ll send your usual appetizers up in a minute.”
Savah smiled as she led them towards the stairs leading to the second floor, calling back to Lucky, “Thank you very much.”
Jhison saw Lucky wave in her direction before focusing his attention forward and climbing the stairs with the rest of the club. It wasn’t a long climb, but with the amount of people it was still slightly uncomfortable. At the top of the stairs he briefly saw Savah before she disappeared into the second room on the right hand side of the hallway, the rest of the club following in behind her. Jhison and Kesta brought up the rear of the group, but their preferred spot near the door was still open, most likely due to Savah’s influence. She was sitting closest to the screen, tablet already in hand and her fingers flying as she began to take drink orders from everyone.
It took everyone a few minutes to settle in and soon after the food and drinks promised were brought up by Lucky and another employee Jhison hadn’t gotten to know yet. They placed the platters on the table in the center of the room and made their exit, Jhison impressed as always at the efficiency the establishment’s staff had.
Savah called attention to herself, “Alright let’s go over the rules. First rule is that if you’re new, you have to sing at least one song. You can be brave and pick it yourself or you can leave your fate in my hands, but know I will make you regret that decision. Second rule, buddy system rules are in place; No one leaves this room without someone by their side. People around here are generally nice, but I don’t take chances that today’s the day an asshole shows up. Rule three: you only get three alcoholic drinks. I don’t care how tolerant you may or may not be, all of you should be walking away from here without having to worry about a hangover the next day.”
Savah smirked, “Other than that, we’re here to have fun. You can sing as many or as few songs as you’d like as long as you’re not hogging the mic. This is meant to be a treat for everyone and it’s no fun if someone decides they want the spotlight to themselves. SInging along is allowed as well, but try not to outshine whoever’s on the mic, you’re just being rude at that point.
“So…” she said, looking around the room, “who wants to go first?”
The room stood stock still. Everyone in the room knew what going first meant, they’d be setting the tone for the rest of the night and no one wanted to set the wrong one. After a minute of silence, Jhison was surprised to see Meran stand up and walk over to Savah.
Savah smirked, “Seems like we have a brave volunteer.”
She passed Meran the tablet and Meran began to scroll through the song list before finding the song she seemed to be looking for. Once the song had been chosen, the album cover and song title popped up on the television screen and everyone saw the first song for tonight would be Lee Brice’s ‘One Of Them Girls.’
A small countdown appeared on the screen, giving Meran time to grab a microphone and take a deep breath before the song began playing. The twang of an acoustic guitar began to play through the speakers the room was equipped with and Meran turned to look at Nith, the changeling already blushing. After four measures, Meran started to sing, never taking her eyes off of her girlfriend. While Country music wasn’t a genre Jhison often listened to, he couldn’t deny the calm upbeat nature of the song was a good tone setter for the night. It helped that it was a song Meran clearly related to her relationship with Nith. While Meran was often outgoing and talkative, Nith very much kept to herself, never really coming out of her shell around others. So a song about someone trying to get another to open up with flirtatious words was right up Meran’s alley. By the end of the song most people were at least nodding their heads to the beat of not outright quietly singing with the chorus and Meran finished the song by walking over and planting a kiss on Nith’s cheek.
The club clapped as the song ended and Meran returned the microphone to its place near the tablet stand. Meran took a dramatic bow to the laughter of some of the others and took her place besides Nith once more.
Savah spoke up, “And with the mood firmly set, I think I’ll throw my hat in the ring.”
Savah navigated the tablet’s selection with a practiced ease, Katy Perry’s ‘Smile’ flashing onto the screen in less than a minute. She quickly stood up and grabbed a mic from the stand, the opening notes beginning to play soon after. This song was often referred to as Savah’s theme song due to its upbeat nature and how she’d recovered from a major depressive episode in the past. No one knew all of the details and for as open as Savah was she never disclosed them either so most of the club was in the dark. What was known was that something happened between her and her brother Savag that left her close to a shell of her former self and him never seen again. Thankfully due to the club’s support, her own admission, she began to recover and today stood proudly and able to smile at most of life’s trials.
The song’s ending notes and the club’s applause brought Jhison out of his reverie in time for him to see Savah take a sweeping bow before returning to her seat.
Savah fanned herself slightly, “Whew, someone pass me some mozzarella sticks; I worked up quite the appetite with that performance.”
Dr. Dragon loaded one of the plates they’d been given alongside the appetizers and handed it to Savah, crouching next to her after handing it over, “I believe I’ll go next. Would you show me how the tablet works?”
Savah nodded and quickly ran through the process of picking a song, Dr. Dragon paying close attention. At the end of the lesson Dr. Dragon took the tablet in his hands and scrolled through the song selection before finding a song he preferred. The room turned their attention to the screen, lightly laughing as Ed Sherran’s ‘Shivers’ came up.
Dr. Dragon shrugged, smirking, “What can I say? He’s got a good selection.”
Dr. Dragon handed the tablet back to Savah, quickly retrieving the microphone as the countdown began and the opening notes started to flow through the speakers. As the song started proper Jhison was quickly reminded of why he’d been worried Dr. Dragon would make good on his promise of earning the part of Jekyll and Hyde over him. The Half-Elf’s vocal range was fantastic, far surpassing Jhison’s and there was something enticing about how the music seemed to flow around him, like it emanated from him and not the speakers. He had the room clapping along with the beat by the time the first chorus began and even included a few members of the club by dancing with them and spinning them around. He received a standing ovation as the song ended and a flash of jealousy went through Jhison’s body, though it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
This pattern continued for around an hour before Therima grabbed Dramosa and drug him over to Savah, “Come on Dramosa, let’s do our duet.”
Dramosa tried to fight Therima’s hold, but the female Tiefling had a solid grip on him, “Please no.”
Savah smirked, “It’s either you pick your own song or let me choose it. Frankly I’d take the plunge since you’ll have a partner with you.”
Dramosa seemed to weigh his options before sighing, “Fine. Pull it up.”
Therima grinned as she grabbed the tablet from Savah, navigating through it for a minute before finding the song she desired. Jhison raised an eyebrow in amusement as Billy Joel’s ‘The Longest Time’ appeared on the screen, a small smirk growing on his face as well. Therima quickly ran over to the stand and retrieved two microphones for her and Dramosa. Dramosa looked at the microphone she held out to him as if Therima were handing him a live snake before sighing and grabbing it.
Therima seemed to favor songs with quick openings as there were only a few seconds before she and Dramosa began to sing. Soon enough it was obvious why Therima had referred to the song as ‘their duet’; the two harmonized effortlessly, with not a note out of place. Therima’s soprano range lent itself well to the higher notes the song reached into, while Dramosa’s tenor helped him hit the lower ones with relative ease. Together, the two made an impressive pair and the choreography the two did, much to Dramosa’s chagrin Jhison could tell, was no less spectacular. It was like they were telling a story together while singing and Jhison wondered if that’s what he and Kesta looked like with a few of their own duets. The pair received a solid round of applause as the song began to fade and the two replaced their microphones.
Therima smirked at Dramosa, “See was that so terrible?”
Dramosa nodded, “Indeed, I very much wish we hadn’t done that.”
The crowd laughed at the statement as Therima playfully pouted, “You’re so mean to me. First you put tape over my mouth, now you won’t even say you had fun. What kind of best friend are you?”
Dramosa returned to his seat, “One with an aversion to performing spontaneously.”
Therima giggled as she sat down next to him, “Admit it, you liked it.”
“Never.” However, everyone could see the small smile at the corner of Dramosa’s mouth, signaling that he’d never admit it, but that he did enjoy himself.
Gruff’s friend, Nathmar if he overheard earlier correctly, stood up, “Alright, guess I’ll take my turn.”
Savah raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Really? I figured I’d have to pull your teeth to get you to participate.”
Nathmar grinned, “Ah, see you’ve confused me with Gruff. I’m more than willing to be a team player for hazing rituals like this. In fact I wanna see what you’ve got Savah. Go on, try to make me miserable.”
Savah grinned at Nathmar’s words, “Oh I like you.” Jhison frankly didn’t know if he should be frightened or not.
Savah quickly scrolled through the tablet’s selections, clearly already having a song in mind. Nathmar grinned as Shania Twain’s ‘I’m Gonna Getcha Good’ appeared on the screen, “Oh big miss here, hun. I grew up on Country music.”
Nathmar grabbed a microphone with the confidence of someone used to having eyes on them, though Jhison supposed if he was any good at wrestling he probably was. He smirked as the opening guitar riffs began to blast through the speakers and began to move his body to the beat. As he opened his mouth to sing though, Jhison had to bite his tongue to keep from wincing and he knew he wasn’t the only one. There was some attempt at hitting the right notes, the Shifter clearly wasn’t lying about growing up with the genre, but unfortunately it really was just an attempt. Nathmar’s singing voice really left something to be desired, but Nathmar clearly knew it and tried his best to make it as bearable as possible. Jhison commended the effort, though it did make him wonder how Nathmar earned his part as ensemble, but he was seriously considering leaving the room under the guise of using the bathroom.
However Gruff seemed to beat him to the punch, as he grabbed a key card and swiftly left the room, although in clear violation of rule two since he didn’t take a partner with him. He began to stand up to follow Gruff, but he was once again beaten to the punch this time by Kesta as she quickly followed behind Gruff. Jhison grimaced slightly, but consigned himself to letting Nathmar finish the song, though not without a thought quickly passing through his mine, ‘Hopefully those two make it back soon.’
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Gruff was thankful he’d outlasted Nathmar. He’d been waiting all night for Nathmar to get up so he could escape without Nathmar being able to stop him with the stupid buddy system rule. There was a slight hiccup in the plan since Kesta followed him, but he figured he could shake her. He walked quickly down the stairs, nearly taking them two at a time, and quickly turned towards the door, nearly making it outside before he felt a tug at his shirt. He turned, gearing his fist to punch whoever grabbed him, but stopping once he saw that it was Kesta. He shook her off his arm and walked out the door.
Kesta followed, “Gruff wait. Where are you going?”
Gruff didn’t even look back, “Home. I’m done.”
Kesta kept following, “What are you talking about? Your friend is still inside, shouldn’t you be leaving with him?”
Gruff scoffed as he stopped and looked over his shoulder, “Despite what you and him might think, he’s not my babysitter. I can get home on my own just fine.”
Kesta didn’t seem to like that answer, “I don’t doubt that, but you really shouldn’t be traveling alone at night.
“You know,” a voice said from nearby, “The lady’s not wrong. It’s not safe out here for kids like you.”
A person stepped out of the shadows of an alleyway, a Firbolg wearing a well kept green suit. He was soon joined by a few other figures, though Gruff kept his focus on the Firbolg.
Gruff huffed, “And you are?”
The Firbolg shrugged, “Most folks just call me Mr. Green. Though you might know that name since you ruffled up a few of my associates not too long ago.”
Gruff grinned as he remembered that fight, “Oh yeah. That was fun.”
Mr. Green laughed, “Oh I bet it was, however I can’t let such a slight go unpunished.” As he said this Gruff watched as the other figures began to circle him.
Kesta spoke up from behind him, “Gruff, we need to leave.”
Gruff ignored her and lifted his fists in front of his face, waiting for one of them to throw the first blow. He didn’t have to wait long as an Earth Genasi charged him, clearly looking to grapple him to the ground.
Gruff smirked, ‘Too bad for you, you don’t look nearly as heavy as Oak.’
Gruff quickly stepped to the side, then wrapped his arms around the Genasi, lifted and threw them to the ground. He heard the sidewalk underneath them crack and the Genasi groan, clearly not used to the pain. Gruff didn’t get much chance to think about that though as a Lizardfolk came up from behind him, slashing out with their claws. Gruff dodged, avoiding the Genasi on the ground then delivered two blows into their stomach, almost instantly dropping the Lizardfolk and leaving them gasping for air. Gruff turned his attention to the other two figures; a Tabaxi and Shifter. Gruff could see these two were smarter than their companions as they weren’t charging recklessly at him. The Tabaxi looked over and nodded to the Shifter before moving towards Gruff.
Gruff moved to punch him, but cursed as the Tabaxi dodged and landed a blow to his solar plexus. Gruff grit his teeth trying to regain his breath, but the Tabaxi and the Shifter kept up their assault. Soon Gruff was taking more hits then he was landing, a situation he had hated being in since he was a kid.
‘Well well well, isn’t this a pretty sight Dung?’ an unfortunately familiar voice said in Gruff’s head, ‘You on the losing side of a fight you caused. Maybe you’ll finally remember your place.’
Gruff snarled as the Shifter landed another blow, “Shut up.”
He heard Mr. Green laugh, “No one said anything boy.”
Gruff shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as he kept taking blows, but he couldn’t escape his old foster father’s voice, ‘Face it Dung. This is all you are; worthless and weak.’
Gruff growled, not even noticing the punches he was taking anymore, “Shut up!”
He heard laughter both in and out of his head, ‘Why don’t you just do everyone a favor and die like the dog you are?’
Gruff roared as he grabbed onto the Tabaxi’s arm, “I said SHUT UP!”
He felt it then, his rage. Moving quickly he kicked the legs out from under the Tabaxi, slamming their arm onto his knee as he brought them down, breaking it in the process. The Tabaxi screamed in pain as they gripped their arm and Gruff turned his attention to the Shifter. The Shifter tried to escape, but Gruff was faster and grabbed them by their shirt. He picked the Shifter up then slammed them into the concrete beneath them, reveling in the crack he heard as the Shifter’s head made contact. Gruff didn’t stop, raining down punches into the Shifter’s face far past the point of their face bleeding. He heard someone scream from behind him, but he didn’t even look to where it came from. He just kept beating down on the Shifter, until something inside him told him to move. He was glad he listened because in the next second after moving he felt a stinging pain in his abdomen as he was stabbed.
Mr. Green spoke up from behind him, “Quick reflexes there boy. Shame they won’t save you.” he withdrew his knife and brought it up making a move to stab Gruff again.
Gruff watched as the knife came down, certain he wouldn’t be able to dodge it in time, ‘...sorry Mom.’
The blade never made it to him though, because Mr. Green was interrupted by Kesta charging into his side, throwing off his balance and making him fall. The knife clattered out of his hand and onto the concrete, but Kesta recovered quickly, grabbing the knife and putting herself between Gruff and Mr. Green.
She pointed the knife at Mr. Green, “This stops now. Take your people and go.”
Mr. Green snarled, “And why would I do that?”
As if in answer, Gruff heard police sirens begin approaching. Kesta smirked, “That’s why.”
Mr. Green scowled, clearly not happy she’d gotten one over on him, “...fine then.” He turned towards Gruff, “This isn’t quite over boy.”
Mr. Green barely looked back as he fled back into the alleyway he’d emerged from. Kesta sighed, but kept the blade raised still wary of the thugs around them.
Gruff groaned as the rage and adrenaline began to fade, the pain of the blows and the stab wound starting to make itself known. Kesta kneeled down next to him, “Can you move at all?”
Gruff tried moving slightly and grit his teeth as pain spread throughout his body, though he was still able to move a few inches, “A bit, but it hurts.”
Kesta swore under her breath, “Do you think you could make it to the wall?”
Gruff nodded as he began to force his body to cooperate. It was painful, but he was able to make it to the wall with very little blood lost. Kesta helped prop him up against the wall, then began to use the knife she grabbed to cut open the bottom of her shirt.
Gruff watched, confused, “What are you doing?”
Kesta didn’t stop, “I left my bag in the building, so I’ll have to resort to my shirt to help wrap the wound. I’m not leaving you alone here.” She raised her head and locked eyes with Gruff, “I hope you understand why we have the buddy system rule now.”
Gruff laughed, wincing as he did, “It’s still a stupid rule.”
Kesta didn’t seem to share in his humor, “Perhaps it is to you, but I’m fairly certain you’d be dead in an alleyway if I hadn't followed you.”
Gruff huffed as she broke eye contact and began to wrap his wound, “Why do you even care? Didn’t I steal your boyfriend’s dream role?”
Kesta scoffed, “That fact you think that matters in this moment…truly incredible how your mind works.” she looked up at him again, “What happened happened, nothing can change that at this point. My feelings about the situation don’t matter, especially when you’re hurt.”
Gruff didn’t believe her, but he didn’t feel like wasting his breath either so he let her work. He heard Kesta swear again, “I don’t have enough fabric.” she looked around, her eyes landing on the unconscious form of the Earth Genasi who’d charged him first. She quickly walked over and used the knife to cut their shirt off of them, bringing it over to Gruff once she’d gotten what she needed.
Kesta began to wrap his wound tighter, “This isn’t a permanent fix, you’ll need to see a doctor to get the wound sewn up.”
Gruff scoffed, “I’ll be fine.”
Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because Kesta fixed him with the second coldest stare he’d ever received, the title of coldest stare belonging to his mom, “No, you won’t be, and I don’t care if I have to drag you down to the hospital myself, you will see a doctor about this.”
Gruff felt all of the fight in him leave, “...okay.”
Kesta nodded briskly, then turned towards the street. The sirens were getting closer and he heard Kesta breath a sigh of relief, one he couldn’t say he shared. It was at this moment Nathmar and Jhison stepped out of The Siren’s Lair, Nathmar’s eyes landing on them first.
Nathmar ran over to him, “Gruff!”
Jhison’s eyes followed him and shrunk in fear, “Kesta!”
Nathmar got to them first, Jhison only a few seconds behind, “What the hell happened? You two were gone for ten minutes tops.”
Gruff opened his mouth, but Kesta beat him to it, “Gruff was attacked by someone with a grudge, he went by the name Mr. Green. Gruff fought off the people he’d brought with him, but Mr. Green stabbed him with this knife. He’d almost made the killing blow, but I caught him off guard and was able to get the knife away from him.”
Jhison tightly wrapped his arms around Kesta, “I’m so glad to hear you’re not hurt, I don’t know what I would have done otherwise.”
Kesta smiled, “I’ll be fine. Gruff however,” she said looking towards him, “will need to see a doctor sooner rather than later.”
Nathmar nodded, shutting down any plans Gruff had to protest, “You got it. I’ll take him right now.”
Kesta shook her head, “Unless you think you can carry him there, you’ll need a vehicle. The nearest hospital is more than a few miles away and it was a struggle getting Gruff to the wall in the first place.”
Nathmar cursed, “My truck’s back at campus and that’s an hour away from here." His face then flashed with realization, “Wait, Folgrand has a truck too. Give me a minute, I'll go call him.”
Nathmar ran off before anyone could say anything, and Kesta turned to Gruff, “A wrestling friend of yours?”
Gruff shook his head, “Nath’s boyfriend.”
Kesta nodded in understanding, “I see. Well I hope he gets here soon.”
Gruff leaned back and closed his eyes, a single thought flashing through before things moved around him again, ‘What a crappy night this turned out to be.’
Notes:
Fun times right? I hope the end wasn't too much of a tone shift for this fic, but Gruff's player gave me such a wonderful idea and I just had to implement it in some fashion.
Either way, I do hope you enjoyed the chapter. With my semester having wrapped up, I might be able to return to bi-weekly, but I make no promises (I still have other writing projects I want to devote time to). I wish you a pleasant day, and I'll see you next chapter.
Chapter 16: Chapter 16
Notes:
Hello hello. Terribly sorry about the late update, turns out a lack of work to do puts deadlines out of my head. Might need to start putting update days on my calendar so it doesn't happen again.
My terrible scheduling skills aside, as always a big thanks to my DM for being such a helpful beta and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Gruff grumbled as he entered the locker room. Today had seemed especially shitty. His classes seemed a little bit harder, tutoring with Feru’ma seemed a lot more tense than it did before and his side had been bothering him all day with the stitches he’d received over the weekend. The doctors had told him he’d be fine and that the knife hadn’t hit anything major, so they scheduled him to come back later today to get the stitches removed. All in all it was the kind of day where he really needed to throw something and he figured his teammates would do the job.
Right as he began to throw his bag into the locker he heard someone from behind him, “Seir, a moment of your time?”
Gruff turned to see Coach Galoril behind him, a worried look on his face, “What’s up Coach?”
Coach Galoril sighed, “I was informed by Vind that you were in an altercation this last weekend.” he held his hand up before Gruff could interrupt him, “This is not a reprimand. He informed me that you were the victim of circumstance and did not seek out the fight. However, he also informed me that you needed medical attention, stitches specifically.”
Gruff growled, “I’m gonna kill that snitch.”
Coach chuckled, “Well you’ll have plenty of time to do it. You know my rule Gruff; no practice if you’ve got stitches. I don’t want anyone here getting hurt and tearing your stitches before they’ve healed is a prime way to get hurt.”
Gruff scoffed, “It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before.”
Coach shook his head, “Be that as it may, Seir, I’m standing firm. No practice for you today. You are welcome to watch, but I will not allow you to drill.”
With that Coach Galoril walked away, signaling the end of the conversation. Gruff huffed as he grabbed his bag from the locker and started to make his way over to the gym. Before he made it through the door’s however he was pulled into a light headlock, the laughter following informing him Nathmar had found him first.
Gruff smirked, “Well you just made this a lot easier.”
Nathmar had about one second to process what Gruff said before he broke out of the headlock and put Nathmar into one. Gruff wasn’t as nice as Nathmar was though and tightened his hold, briefly causing Nathmar to choke.
Nathmar gasped, “Damn it man, I know you're not happy I told Coach about what happened, but this is a bit excessive don’t you think?”
Guff just tightened his grip even further, Nathmar beginning to cough due to lack of oxygen. Right before Nathmar was about to pass out, Gruff broke the hold and let Nathmar fall to the ground.
Nathmar gasped, his lungs desperately trying to get air back in them, “W-what would you cough have done gasp if you’d k-killed me there?”
Gruff shrugged, “I knew what I was doing and you know it.”
Nathmar shook his head, still gasping for air, “Gods alive Gruff. Anyone ever tell you your temper’s on a hair trigger?”
Gruff smirked, “Yeah, it’s why I’m so good at fighting.”
Nathmar groaned then stood up, having finally recovered, rubbing his neck, “Look you want an apology? Cause you’re not getting one. I’m not gonna catch heat from Coach if your stitches tear just because you’re too stubborn to miss practice.”
Gruff huffed, “I would have kept your name out of it.”
Nathmar fixed an angry look at Gruff, “Gruff, I don’t know how I can get this through that thick skull of yours, but I’m your friend. I don’t want to see you hurt. You were less than fifty feet away from me and you got stabbed by someone with a grudge. I’m not letting you get hurt again if I can stop it.”
Gruff didn’t back down, fixing Nathmar with an angry look of his own, “And I don’t know how many times I have to say I can take care of myself. I’ve done it all my life, nothing’s changed.”
Nathmar scoffed, “Sure they haven’t.” He turned away from Gruff and started walking away from the gym, “Come on.”
Gruff didn’t follow, “Where the hell are you going? Practice is starting.”
Nathmar looked over his shoulder, “You really are an idiot aren’t you? Rehearsal. Unless of course you want the rest of the team to find out you got stabbed while at a Karaoke Bar with the Drama Club.”
Gruff snarled…but he knew Nathmar was right. Even if he tried lying to them, Nathmar seemed to be petty enough that he’d set the record straight. So Gruff reluctantly began to follow behind him.
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He didn’t know if it was the anger or the new familiarity with the walk, but sooner than he expected he was following Nathmar through the doors of the Theater Hall. Soon after he heard the sounds of raucous laughter and music coming from the main theater. He saw Nathmar smile and take a deep breath as the music hit them.
Nathmar spoke up, “You know, wrestling’s always been where I’ve been the most comfortable, but gods damn if these guys aren’t fun to hang with.”
Gruff huffed, “I’m glad you’re having fun with this.”
Nathmar smirked as he looked back at Gruff, “You could be too if you’d just let yourself.”
Nathmar didn’t give Gruff a chance to respond, a common theme for today it seemed, as he walked into the main theater. The music got louder once the door was opened, sounds of Violins and a guitar filling Gruff’s ears. The club seemed to be singing a chorus together, with Jhison, Savah, Dr. Dragon and Therima leading them on stage. The song seemed to be about a town getting ready for a wedding for a ‘Marie’, the verses of the song being sung by the four on stage.
Nathmar laughed as he took it in, “Oh these guys are good. They’ve known each other, what a week tops? And they’re already harmonizing and hamming it up on stage together. Reminds me a bit of the team.”
Gruff would never admit it, but he could see what Nathmar meant. There was a sense of brotherhood here that he’d only felt before when out with the team.
Gruff quickly abandoned that line of thought though and scowled as he heard the song begin to repeat, “Shouldn’t rehearsal have started already?”
“You’re not exactly wrong, but these first few rehearsals could definitely be classified as ‘icebreaker’ rehearsals.”
Gruff turned around to see Ari standing there with a smirk, “Didn’t think I’d see you two here today. The wrestling team meets for practice today, yeah?
Nathmar spoke up, “Coach is pretty firm when it comes to practicing with stitches. So I figured I’d ditch in solidarity with my wounded brother.”
“You were the one who wanted to come here, jackass.” Gruff muttered under his breath.
Nathmar waved him off, “I don’t think I’ve been properly introduced.” He held his hand out, “Nathmar Romere.”
Ari took it, “Ari. I’ll give you the warning now; don’t touch anything you don’t understand. Fuck with my instruments and I get a free pass to fuck with you. We clear?”
Nathmar grinned from ear to ear, “Crystal.” He looked up at the stage, “Jhison may be the face of this group, but you’re the real leader aren’t you?”
Ari smirked, “Finally someone gets it. I like you.”
Nathmar chuckled, “Been hearing that a lot lately.”
Ari motioned to the stage, “Like I said we’re pretty lax when it comes to early rehearsals. Everyone’s still trying to find their place in the group, and what better way to do that with singing what could be considered a tavern song? The boldest of them will get up on stage and lead. The brave will sing, but stay off the stage, content to let others have the spotlight as long as they can participate. Finally the quiet ones will just sit and enjoy the energy and the feeling of being included. Bit different from the wrestling team, yeah?”
Nathmar nodded, “You’re not wrong. I couldn’t imagine one of us just sitting and watching when we run drills, but doing that doesn't even seem out of place here.”
“Now the question is: which category will you two fall into? You’ve got a while before we really start anything…I look forward to seeing where you end up.”
With that Ari exited the main theater and went up the stairs that led to the control room. Gruff turned to Nathmar who never looked away from the stage.
He quietly spoke up after a minute, “...quiet one.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, “Huh?”
Nathmar looked at Gruff, “I’m gonna be a quiet one. I’m intruding on this space and my singing voice is garbage in comparison. So I’ll sit quietly and enjoy myself.”
Gruff eyes widened slightly in surprise. He’d known Nathmar for a while and he’d never seen this side of him. The Nathmar he knew was confident and boastful, always willing to jump headfirst into whatever crazy idea the team came up with. So to see Nathmar so passive unnerved Gruff.
Gruff grabbed Nathmar’s shoulder, “Are you sick?”
Nathmar smirked and shook his head, “Nope, just…a lot more relaxed than I’ve been in a bit.”
Gruff let go of Nathmar and watched as he moved towards the stage. He had a hard time believing Nathmar could actually be comfortable here, especially when just being in the same room as the club put him on edge. He looked around and noticed a Drow woman he hadn’t before, headphones over her ears.
‘Is she part of the club?’ Gruff wondered as he made his way over.
As he got closer he saw the Drow’s eyes were closed and her breathing patterns were steady, making it clear to Gruff that she was asleep. Gruff raised an eyebrow in confusion before gently nudging her. The reaction was immediate, with the Drow jumping out of her seat, her hand reaching into her hoodie pocket but not pulling it back out.
“What the hell are you doing? I was taking a nap.”
Gruff motioned to the group, “Shouldn’t you be with them?”
The Drow groaned, “Oh right, I forgot you were a newbie for a sec. Yeah, I’m not in the club. I’m in my own version of hot water with the headmaster. Luckily she’s letting me off easy since I inherited my dad’s silver tongue and have the highest signup rate among the campus recruiters. I just gotta stay here where Raenar can keep an eye on me. ‘Long as I’m not a ‘disturbance’,” she said with air quotes, “Then I can do what I want till my dad comes to pick me up.”
Gruff tensed slightly as she spoke, “How do you know about my deal with the headmaster?”
The Drow smirked, “There’s a lot you can find out when no one pays attention to you. The faculty don’t exactly have tight lips and news about you being essentially on a watch list made its way around the staff gossip wheel. Doesn't take much after that to figure out you had to make a deal too.”
Gruff quickly pointed to the others, “Do the rest of them know?”
The Drow shook her head, “Jhison and Kesta might because of his episode, but I doubt they were told more than the basics. Raenar respects people’s privacy so he’d only tell what he needs to. Other than that, unless you’ve told anyone, no one here should know anything…though if Savah gets a little too curious she might start pulling strings to find out.”
Gruff felt a flash of nervousness hit him, “Would she be able to find out?”
The Drow nodded, “If there’s something she wants to know she’ll find it. She’s not the gossip queen for nothing. She’s got connections and dirt on pretty much anyone in the school. I’d be impressed if it wasn’t so terrifying. As it stands, mark me down as scared and horny when it comes to Savah.”
Gruff couldn’t help the small bark of laughter that escaped his mouth and the Drow held her hand out, “Zarra. You’re welcome to sit here, better than singing with the nerds.”
Gruff shook the offered hand before taking the seat next to her.
------------
Nathmar watched Gruff take the seat next to the Drow he’d been talking to and smirked, ‘Guess there’s someone he can connect to here after all.’
He looked up at the stage as Jhison got all their attention, “Alright you nerds,” a laugh went out through the crowd, “The next one’s a set of drinking songs from the Hobbit. Who wants to get up here and trade out?”
Nathmar watched as a few of the ‘brave ones’ switched with the ones on stage; Therima switching out with Dramosa at the former’s behest, Savah giving her spot to…Beetle if remembered correctly and Dr. Dragon deciding to let someone else take a turn with Therumani filling the spot.
Jhison spoke up again once everyone got situated, “We’re gonna do three rotations to give everyone a chance to learn the words if they don’t know them already. We can do more if everyone wants to but we’ll stick with three for now.”
Once everyone nodded Jhison walked off stage and started the music. Nathmar didn’t know the song that started after Jhison pressed play, but most of the club seemed to. It seemed to be a medley of songs, one flowing into the other seamlessly. The first was about a beer from a place called the Green Dragon and how the drinkers felt they needed nothing else. The second was about Bilbo Baggins (Nathmar would never consider himself a nerd, but even he knew who that was) and all the things he hates. Nathmar couldn’t help but relate to Bilbo there, he’d hate it if any of this stuff happened to him. The third song was where it got fun, it was about a beer so good the Man in the Moon came down to drink it. The rhythm was intoxicating and Nathmar couldn’t help but clap and stomp along to the beat as the four on stage sang the lyrics. The cheer that went up when the song finished reminded Nathmar a lot of the cheer that would go up when the wrestling team went out for drinks after a tournament.
‘It’s so strange how similar everything feels…and yet there’s such a difference in the pressure I’m feeling right now. Even Jhison seems to be having the time of his life up there and he should be feeling the pressure the most. How can everyone be so relaxed when there’s such an important event coming up?’
“Well well well, can’t say I expected the better half of the jocks to be paying such close attention.”
Nathmar turned his head to see Savah standing next to him, a smirk on her face.
He smirked back, “What can I say? I’m trying to break the jock stereotype. That and coach has strict rules about practicing with stitches. I snitched to him about what happened over the weekend so Gruff couldn’t drill and hurt himself.”
Savah raised an eyebrow in amusement, “I have to say I respect the technique. You seemed to have quite a bit on your mind when I came up. Care to share?”
Nathmar looked back up at the stage, the third rotation of the song having begun, “Just noting how similar the atmosphere is to when the team is celebrating something. Is it always like this?”
Savah giggled, “If only. It can get like this when we’re between shows, but when we’re in the thick of it times like this are especially few and far between.”
Nathmar blinked in surprise, “Really? It just feels so natural, like this is the normal energy.”
Savah smiled, “It’s not hard to feel that way for us. All of us came here for different reasons, but we all share a passion for this artform and how it brings people together. The songs we sing together help us feel connected in a way a lot of artforms can’t, helps us connect on an emotional level. Even the shyest among us feel that way.”
Nathmar took a minute to process what Savah was saying, “So it’s the vulnerability that helps keep spirit’s high?”
Savah’s smile turned into a smirk, “It’s something like that I suppose. I wouldn’t say that’s everything, but maybe you’ll figure it out by the time the curtains close on our final show.”
With that, Savah waved good-bye and walked off back to where most of the veteran members of the club were sitting, leaving Nathmar to his thoughts.
------------
Jhison mentally sighed in relief as he watched Savah walk away from Nathmar with neither of them raising their voice.
‘Then again, Nathmar doesn't seem the type to anger easily. Quite the opposite of Gruff it seems, makes one wonder how they came to be such good friends.’
Jhison didn’t have time to ponder that much further as the medley came to an end and a cheer went out through the room.
Jhison smiled as he grabbed their attention, “Alright, I’ve exhausted my knowledge of upbeat tavern-esqe songs. Anyone have any requests? I will say if any of you suggest something from High-school Musical the veterans among us will throw you out.” Thermia could be seen cursing under her breath.
About a minute passed before Nathmar of all people raised a hand, “I know about a medley of sea shanties if that works?”
Jhison looked around the room to see if anyone disagreed with the choice. Finding no disagreement he motioned for Nathmar to join him off stage.
Once Nathmar joined him Jhison lowered his voice, “I doubt many of us know these songs, would you mind joining us up here for at least the first rotation?”
Nathmar looked nervous, “Are you sure? I know my singing voice isn’t the best.”
Jhison flashed him an assuring smile, “It doesn't need to be right now. Maybe just try to sing-talk if you’re not comfortable with going all the way. It just helps everyone learn the lyrics if someone in person sings them.”
Nathmar still looked wary of joining them, but nodded, “Alright, if you’re sure.”
Jhison smiled, “Thank you Nathmar.”
Nathmar shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, but can I ask you a favor in return?”
Jhison nodded, “Of course, what is it?”
Nathmar looked sheepish as he answered, “Can you try and make peace with Gruff? I know you don’t exactly like him because of what happened with casting…but he already doesn't want to be here. If you could help make it a bit more welcoming for him, I think it’d go a long way.”
Jhison carefully pondered Nathmar’s words before replying, “...I think I can do that. It’s my responsibility to make sure everyone here feels included…even if my emotions would prefer it if I didn’t.”
Nathmar gave Jhison a pat on the back, “Thank you. I got the song pulled up, you ready?”
Jhison nodded, “I’ll be counting on you out there.”
Nathmar laughed as he walked back on stage, “Oh sure put the pressure on at the last second.”
Jhison laughed, “Get used to it, we’ve got high expectations.”
As he followed behind Nathmar, Jhison couldn’t help one last thought, ‘How shaken have I gotten that I needed to be reminded of my job by an outsider? That stops now.. I’m going to be the leader everyone needs me to be.’
Notes:
You know Nathmar started as a nice foil to Gruff, but I feel like I might be turning him into a bona fide plot device. Ah well, if someone had to be at least it's him.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope to see you at the next one.
Chapter 17: Chapter 17
Notes:
Hello. It's nice to see you all again. Not much to say today other than the usual thanks to my DM for being an incredibly helpful Beta. I hope you enjoy the chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“So did you have fun on stage with us, Nathmar?”
Jhison heard the Shifter chuckle, “Ask me again when my heart rate goes back down. The only thing that should be causing it to go that high is a tournament match or my boyfriend.”
Jhison clapped Nathmar on the back, “Don’t worry; It’ll be so much worse come showtime.”
That got a light laugh out of Nathmar, “Why do I feel like a good chunk of you Drama nerds are masochists?”
Jhison chuckled, “Because you’re more right than you’d think.”
Nathmar looked over to Jhison, eyebrow raised, “Oh, you confessing to something?”
Jhison raised his hands in mock surrender, “No comment, Kesta’d have my head if I said any more.”
“He’s not wrong.” The Kalashtar in question was walking over them, a smirk on her face.
Nathmar playfully nudged Jhison in the ribs, “Uh oh, I think you said too much.”
Kesta rolled her eyes, “Are you ready Starlight? I’m getting hungry and there’s a new recipe I wanted to try tonight.”
Jhison felt his mouth begin to water, he always enjoyed his girlfriend's cooking, “Almost,” He quickly scanned the room, before his eyes landed on a certain half-orc, “I need to go set something up with one of our new members first.”
He didn’t wait for a reply before quickly walking over to where Gruff and Zarra were sitting, the pair seemingly unaware rehearsal had ended. He wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth though, since it provided Jhison the perfect opportunity to talk to Gruff.
He called out to Gruff once he was a few feet away, “Gruff, can I have a moment of your time?”
The pair stopped their conversation once they’d heard him, Gruff fixing Jhison with a glare that had him sweating slightly, “What do you want?”
Jhison tried to keep his face neutral under Gruff’s glare, “I-I understand we didn’t exactly get off on the right foot after the casting list went up and I’d like to remedy that. I’m wondering if you'd be willing to join me here around six a few days out of the week to help you practice for the role. I’d clear it with Mr. Neverember and everything, you’d just have to show up.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, “You sure? What about your anger? What if it shows up again?”
Jhison flushed in embarrassment, wondering how he’d forgotten such an important detail, “Um-”
“There’s an obvious answer here, Starlight.” Jhison turned to see that Kesta had followed him, “I’m more than willing to join you to help keep the anger at bay.”
Jhison’s expression showed a bit of worry, “Are you sure? I know you have early classes, I wouldn’t want to keep you up.”
Kesta shook her head, “I’ll be fine Jhison. It’s not my first time adjusting my sleep schedule.”
Jhison nodded before turning back to Gruff, “Well? What do you say?”
Gruff seemed to mull it over for a minute before sharply nodding and standing up, “But I’ll let you know right now: If I feel like you’re making fun of me in any way during this, I’m walking out the door.”
Jhison nodded, “Understood.” He held out a hand, “I look forward to working with you.”
Gruff took the offered hand, and Jhison had to hold back a grimace as Gruff squeezed with a little more pressure than was necessary, “Sure.”
Gruff looked behind Jhison, “You ready Nath?”
Jhison heard Nathmar speak up from behind him, “Yep.”
Gruff moved past Jhison, barely sparing him a second glance, and made his way over the double doors leading to the main lounge. Nathmar was a little more polite, waving good-bye as he left behind Gruff.
Kesta took a deep breath, “Are you sure this is wise Starlight? We both know your emotions regarding this role are flying high right now.”
Jhison sighed, “It doesn't matter if it’s wise or not right now Kesta. If I keep avoiding him at every turn, I’ll only be avoiding the problem. At least this way I can minimize the anger taking hold. Besides, much as I hate to think about it, he’ll be playing Jekyll and Hyde. He needs to be ready for the pressure playing the lead is going to put on him.”
Kesta seemed to still think the plan was unwise, but nodded regardless, “...I don’t like it, but I trust your judgment on this idea of yours, Jhison.” She then smiled at him, “Now come on, I wasn’t kidding about dinner.”
Jhison nodded as Kesta took his hand and they began the trip back to their dorm room.
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Gruff didn’t put a lot of stock in those people who ranted about Aberrants who’d steal people in the night, but as he watched Nathmar move around the kitchen humming the songs they’d listened to during rehearsals, he thought they might be onto something. From how he was acting at the beginning of rehearsal saying he ‘felt calmer there’ to now, he was worried his best friend might actually have been body swapped.
He decided to test it, “Hey Nathmar.”
Nathmar stopped his hummin, turning to look at Gruff, “What’s up?”
“What did I pour on your tongue when me and my mom tied you up?”
Nathmar looked at him confused, “Vanilla extract. Why?”
Gruff huffed, “So you’re still you then.”
Nathmar looked even more confused, “Yes and you’re still the same confusing guy I met when I first arrived. Mind letting me in on the joke?”
Gruff shrugged, “Just making sure you’re not an Aberrant.”
Nathmar sighed and let his head drop, “Oh come on. Seriously? Since when do you buy into that conspiracy theory crap?”
“Since my roommate started acting completely different from how he usually does.”
He didn’t quite see it, but he knew Nathmar was rolling his eyes as he stood up straight again, “Gruff, I know this might be a foreign concept to you, but people are allowed to be multifaceted. Just because I’m the model of a Jock doesn't mean I can’t enjoy Nerd stuff when it’s fun.”
Gruff couldn’t resist taking the piss a little, “Yeah no. You’re an Aberrant, you’re using big words and you’re disagreeing with me. I’m gonna go get my bat.”
Nathmar sputtered, “You-...you are so insufferable sometimes.”
Gruff smirked, “Yeah, but you love it.”
Nathmar rolled his eyes again, “I tolerate it. There’s a difference.”
Gruff chuckled before getting up from the barstool he’d been sitting at, “I am gonna turn in for the night though. Got a few tests tomorrow, no need to fail and be tired.”
Nathmar shook his head, “You’ll do fine. Something tells me you’ve been learning a lot more from that tutor of yours than you let on.”
Gruff waved him off before entering his room. Quickly changing, Gruff threw himself onto the bed. He winced slightly as hit the mattress, his side still slightly sore from having the stitches removed after rehearsal, but shrugged off the pain. Taking his phone out, he started to scroll through the team’s group chat. There were a few messages wondering where Gruff was, but it seemed like Nathmar had done damage control on that end, keeping the others in the dark for just a little longer. Then he reached the bottom of the chat and noticed an announcement from Coach Galoril.
Opening the link that contained the announcement, Gruff smiled as he saw it was an announcement about an upcoming wrestling meet. It seemed to be a meet between most of the top school wrestling teams in the district, meaning Gruff was going to be up against some of the bigger names in his weight class.
‘Good,’ Gruff thought, ‘I’ve probably been getting rusty with all this Drama club junk. This’ll give me a reason to get back in shape.’
Gruff scrolled down to check the date’s the meet would be held on, and ‘tsk’’d as he saw that it was before opening night, meaning he wouldn’t be able to use it to get out of the Drama club.
‘Still, should be a fun time. Been a while since I got to throw some fools onto a mat. They won’t know what hit them.’ Enjoying the personal thought of competing again Gruff pulled the covers over himself, and went to sleep with a smile on his face for the first time in a while.
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Gruff trudged into the library, muttering under his breath. His tests earlier in the day had gone decent enough, but he still didn’t enjoy taking them. So taking multiple in a day really put him in a bad mood, and with how the atmosphere between him and Feruma had been since he’d insulted her, his day just wasn’t as good as he’d like it to be.
Climbing the steps to the second floor, he was greeted with the sight of Feru’ma sitting with Lu’nafi. Ever since Feru’ma had agreed to tutor him again at least one of her girlfriends would be sitting with her as Gruff arrived, presumably to make good on their threats to him as quickly as possible should he insult Feru’ma again. He respected it if nothing else.
He took a seat across from the pair, letting them finish whatever discussion they were having.
He couldn’t help but tune in as Lu’nafi raised her voice slightly, “Really Sanguis Lunae, I wish you would join us at the GSA. Mr. Baenrae creates the best activities.”
Gruff’s ears perked up slightly at the name of the teacher, “Mr. Baenrae?”
Lu’nafi turned to Gruff, “Oh hello Gruff. Do you know Mr. Baenrae?”
Gruff shook his head, “I’ve run into him before at the gym, but I’m not in any of his classes.”
Lu’nafi nodded in understanding, “I see. He’s the head counselor for the Gay-Straight Alliance here at the university. Are you familiar?”
Gruff waved his hand in a ‘so-so’ motion, “My teammate Nathmar’s been going for a while, met his boyfriend there actually, but I’ve never really been interested in going.”
Lu’nafi nodded again, “Ah, got it. I understand groups like ours aren’t to everyone’s taste. Though if you ever get the chance to come by I’d recommend it.”
Feru’ma placed a hand on Lu’nafi’s shoulder, “My Light, much as I enjoy your company, I believe you have somewhere to be, yes?”
Lu’nafi seemed to be stuck with a realization, then quickly gathered her things and stood up, “Oh yes, you’re right. Thank you Feru’ma.” She leaned down briefly to kiss her girlfriend good-bye, “I’ll see you at home.”
Feru’ma watched Lu’nafi leave until she was out of sight, before turning to Gruff, “How are you feeling today Gruff?”
Gruff shrugged, “Fine I suppose. Had a few tests today so my mood’s a little lower than normal.”
Feru’ma leaned in, placing both of her arms on the table, “How do you feel you did on them?”
Gruff shrugged again, “Better than usual I guess. Felt like I actually knew some of the stuff rather than guessing at everything.”
Feru’ma smiled, “I’m glad to hear it. You’ve been making good progress in your studies. So today I figured I’d lay off a bit on tutoring you. Instead I’m going to play ‘academic advisor’.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, “Huh?”
Feru’ma sat back in her chair, then pulled a folder out of her backpack, “I was going over your public records again, just to keep myself refreshed on your academic past and I noticed something I hadn’t before: you haven’t declared a major yet.”
Gruff already didn’t like where this was going, “Yeah, because I don’t plan to do anything outside of wrestling.”
Feru’ma shook her head, “I know you won’t like hearing this Gruff, but that’s not much of a plan.” She fixed him with a sympathetic look, “You’re a remarkable wrestler, don’t get me wrong, but you need to have a plan in case the unlikely event you’re no longer able to happens.”
Gruff huffed, “I’m pretty sure there’s not a lot I can do outside of wrestling.”
Feru’ma smirked, “Not necessarily. I’ll grant you that you won’t be winning any scientific awards anytime soon, but you’re intelligent in your own right. Here, take a look at this.”
Feru’ma slid the folder she was holding across the table to Gruff. Gruff picked it up and opened it, seeing the words ‘Nautical Sciences’ in bold letters on the first page.
Gruff looked up at Feru’ma, “What’s this?”
Feru’ma shrunk slightly in embarrassment, “I…might have done a little digging outside of the school. Your mother works on a mariner’s ship, correct?”
Gruff felt a flash of anger, but held it back knowing Feru’ma wouldn’t use the info for anything malicious, “Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?”
Feru’ma seemed slightly relieved he wasn’t yelling at her, “How often do you spend time with her out on the water?”
Gruff thought it over, “A lot honestly. Ever since she took me in, she’d take me out and teach me all about sailing at least a few times a month.”
Feru’ma nodded, “Well what if I told you that the degree information you hold in your hand is for that exact field of work?”
Gruff’s eyes widened in surprise, “Wait, what?”
Feru’ma went on, “The information packet you have is information on how to earn a Nautical Sciences degree. In broad terms, Nautical Sciences is the field of study dedicated to the study of the principles and practices of operating different types and sizes of vessels safely, efficiently and cost-effectively. Or in lay-man’s terms: it’s a science for sailing.”
Gruff looked down at the packet he was holding, then back at Feru’ma, “You’re serious?”
Feru’ma nodded, “I am Gruff. You’re already working on the necessary General Education classes, all you’d need to do is start completing the classes dedicated to the degree. You’ve already got a head start as well with all your practical training on your mother’s ship. I firmly believe you’d be able to pass those classes with flying colors.”
Gruff started thinking it over. He’d never really considered a future that didn’t involve wrestling being his main focus, but here Feru’ma was, telling him he could earn a degree that would let him sail right alongside his mom and her crew. That he could put his love of the ocean to use in a way that would let him repay his mom for all the work she’d put into him.
Gruff didn’t need to think it over anymore, “What do I need to do?”
------------
Nathmar was prepared to deal with a grumpy Gruff (test days were never fun for him), so when Gruff walked into the locker room with a smile on his face, he thought his best friend might have been onto something yesterday when he was talking about Aberrant body switching.
Nathmar called out to Gruff, “Hey, what’s my name here?”
Gruff looked confused, “Vind?”
Nathmar put the back of his hand to his forehead, not feeling any warmer or colder than usual, “I’m not coming down with something either. You actually were smiling then.”
Gruff rolled his eyes, “I’m allowed to do that, you know.”
Nathmar looked incredulous as Gruff started to change, “Yeah, but usually on test days you look like someone kicked a cat in your presence. So to see you smiling…makes a fella worry.”
Gruff shook his head, “Well…I just got some pretty good news. Guess it was good enough to make me smile.”
Nathmar’s interest was piqued, “Oh? What news would that be?”
Gruff took a minute before looking around the locker room, making sure no one else could hear him, before facing Nathmar and leaning in, “I just decided to become a Nautical Sciences major. If all goes well…I’ll be able to join my mom on her ship.”
Nathmar’s eyes widened. In all his time being Gruff’s roommate, he’d never seen Gruff be excited about something regarding school. However, he couldn’t help but feel happy for his friend, “That’s awesome Gruff. You’ve gotta tell me the whole story when practice is over, something tells me I’m gonna need to make another celebration dinner.”
Gruff nodded then turned back to his locker to finish changing. Nathmar let him be, not wanting to potentially ruin his friend’s good mood. As he began to enter the gym to stretch, he heard a voice call out to him, “Vind, can I see you for a minute?”
Nathmar turned to see the two coaches standing near the door, “Sure thing coach. I’m not in trouble am I?”
Coach Galoril laughed, “No no, nothing like that. In fact it’s the opposite, I wanted to thank you for keeping Seir out of it. You didn’t have to join him in the Drama club, nor did you have to tell me about the stitches he received, but you did anyway. And while I know Gruff probably wasn’t appreciative of your efforts, I want you to know they haven’t gone unnoticed.” He placed a hand on Nathmar’s shoulder, “You’re a good friend Nathmar. Thank you for being there for Gruff.”
Nathmar nodded, “Of course sir. Thank you for the compliment.”
Coach Galoril nodded before patting Nathmer’s shoulder, “I won’t keep you any longer, go ahead and get to stretching.”
Nathmar nodded again, “Yes sir.”
Breaking away from where the coaches were standing, Nathmaer waited until he was out of earshot before letting out a quiet scream. He wasn’t used to compliments of that caliber and with how much the coaches were like father figures to him, it filled him with a weird mixture of pride and embarrassment that threatened to make his heart burst out his chest to go run a marathon by itself.
Shaking his head to banish the thoughts, Nathmar tried to focus on his stretches not wanting to fall behind in laps today. It was quiet until he heard someone come up behind him. Turning to see who it was, he was surprised to see Turnan standing there.
Nathmar raised an eyebrow in confusion, “What’s up?”
Turnan’s face was somewhere between confused and pissed, “I heard a rumor recently, wondering if you could clear it up for me.”
Instantly Nathmar was on high alert, there were only a few rumors that would pertain to Nathmar, “I mean you know I don’t put much stock in rumors, but ask away.”
Turnan nodded, “So I was sitting in one of the lounges near the administration desk, when I heard some prissy elf talk about Gruff.”
‘Red flag number one. That’s probably Feru’ma.’ Nathmar thought to himself.
“So I start to listen in, just to make sure she’s not insulting him, when I heard some crap about how she’s ‘proud of him for his progress’."
‘Switch that “probably” for a “definitely” then. Also red flag number two, he doesn't seem too happy about that.’
“Then she goes on about how him ‘joining the Drama club will probably help him out even more, especially since he’s got a friend there’.”
‘I’d say that’s red flag number three, but I feel like “the final nail in the coffin” would fit better here. Alright, time to lie through my teeth.’
Nathmar sighed and shook his head, “Look I don’t know what that’s got to do with me-”
Turnan interrupted him, “Oh really? Gruff and a friend of his join the drama club and you don’t know a damn thing? Bullshit.”
Nathmar started to get angry, “Look if you want to know so bad, talk to Gruff about it. It’s not my business and frankly it isn’t yours either.”
Turnan scowled, “Something going on with one of our team members is absolutely my business, especially if him joining the Drama club is true.”
Nathmar scowled right back, “Oh really? And why is that?”
“Because this could damage the team's reputation. If it got out one of our members was prancing around in a costume and singing stupid songs, we’d become the laughing stocks of the district. No one would take us seriously anymore. Not our opponent’s, not any recruiters; no one.”
Nathmar shook his head, “Dude you are taking this way too far. Even if it was true, I doubt being something more than ‘just a jock’ would be bad for the team's reputation.”
Turnan seemed to get even madder at Nathmar’s dismissal, “Look maybe you don’t care about doing this professionally, but some of us here do, including Gruff. So unless you-”
“Is there a problem here boys?” The pair turned and saw Coach Marinon standing over them, clearly unimpressed with what he was seeing.
Nathmar was quick to answer, “No sir. Just discussing potential opponent’s we might face in the upcoming meet.”
The coach didn’t seem to quite believe him, but didn’t seem to want to push either, “It’s good to be spirited about competition, but you really should be focusing on stretching for now. Leave those discussions for outside of practice, yes?”
Nathmar nodded, “Yes sir. Sorry for the trouble.”
The coach nodded before walking away to check on some of the other members spread out around the gym.
Nathmar sighed before glaring at Turnan, “Look, I already told you: you want the truth, talk to the source. Now beat it, you’ve ruined my good mood.”
Turnan glared back, but decided it wasn’t worth potentially being scolded again, stomping off petulantly to another area to do his stretches.
Nathmar sighed, ‘Great, the last person I needed to find out was the first one.’ He shook his head to clear it, ‘Doesn’t matter though. I’ll do my best to keep what’s going on under wraps.’
As he began to stretch again, Nathmar also began to plan.
Notes:
What's that? Conflict? In my poorly written High School Musical rip-off? (Let's not pretend like that isn't true here folks, lol.) More likely than you'd think apparently.
Other than that, thank you once again for reading and I wish you all a splendid week.
Chapter 18: Chapter 18
Notes:
Hello hello! I had fun with this one, ngl. So much that I got it done a lot earlier than usual, though that might have been my desire to get back to the other projects I've been working on, but that's neither her nor there.
So I didn't notice this last month, but this fic is actually a year old. I'm genuinely surprised I've been able to keep up with updating this fic for an entire year, let alone gotten a large enough audience that actually enjoy it. Thank you, to everyone who keeps up with this fic.
Sappy stuff out of the way, my thanks once again to my DM for being the beta for this chapter and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Gruff took a minute to make sure he hadn’t been followed before opening the door to the Theatre Hall. It had been roughly a week of rehearsals since Jhison had offered to privately rehearse with Gruff, but their schedules hadn’t really worked out until now. Gruff had been busy working with Feru’ma to make sure his transition into a Nautical Sciences major went smoothly and while he didn’t know Jhison’s personal reasons, he wasn’t exactly trying to find out either. Besides, he’d been more focused on the fact that Nathmar had been acting a little more distant than usual and that it had seemed to spread to Oak. He didn’t think anything malicious was going on, the pair were the kind to let a spider out instead of squash it, but it set him slightly on edge.
He tried to keep those thoughts out of his head as he walked into the main theater though, trying to mentally prepare himself for whatever plan Jhison had for him tonight. Walking through the double doors, he noticed that the overhead lights were on, something Jhison hadn’t done when he and Kesta had snuck in here a few weeks ago. Speaking of the pair, he saw the man in question on stage with his eyes closed and his arms behind his back, as though making his own mental preparations for tonight, with his partner sitting in one of the front rows of the audience, looking down and writing something in a notebook she’d brought with her.
“‘Bout time you got here.”
Gruff turned and saw Ari getting out of one of the seats near the back of the theater. His eyebrows raised slightly, he hadn’t expected to see her here as well, “Why are you here?”
Ari smirked, “Same reason I was here last time. When Raenar can’t watch you, that’s when I have to step in. Works for me though, I get extra credit for his class and he gets to sleep peacefully knowing anyone who touches my gear won’t be heard from again.”
Gruff heard Kesta chuckle, “Oh really? Then why do we still have to deal with Vernon?”
Ari’s brow furrowed, “Because that prick’s got people that would notice. Haven’t figured out a way to make it look like an accident yet. But his day is coming.” Gruff heard Ari mumble a few more words under her breath, but he couldn’t quite make them out.
Gruff raised an eyebrow at Kesta, “Vernon?”
Kesta rolled her eyes, “Vernon von Rapture. As his name might imply, he’s as pompous and self centered as they come. Which makes it all the worse that he was one of the better actors the drama club has seen.”
Jhison, seemingly having tuned into the conversation, grimaced, “I hate to give that bastard any credit, but she’s not wrong. It’s not out of the question to say that he was the star actor, that is until I showed up.”
Gruff smirked, “I take it he didn’t appreciate being shown up?”
Ari laughed, though it was harsh, “That’s an understatement. He became even more of a menace than usual. Yelling at everyone who pissed him off, messing with props and technical equipment then blaming someone else, blatantly ignoring Raenar under the excuse of ‘knowing better than some teacher who’d never seen a stage higher than a college theater’, direct quote. It came to a head when he intentionally caused the anger to come out. At that point we had an actual reason to kick him out, because unfortunately the rest was only hearsay.”
Kesta spoke up, “Some of us were a bit worried he’d try and use his influence to cancel the club, but somehow Raenar was able to fend off the von Rapture family and kept them all out of our business. Vernon still auditions, because we can’t outright ban him from it, but he’s never received a part since the incident.”
Gruff nodded, ‘So that’s the incident Raenar told me about.’, out loud he said, “Glad to hear I’m not the worst member you’ve had at least.”
Jhison shook his head, “Oh you’re not even in the top five. This club has an unfortunate history of unsavory members, but they’re all dealt with in time.” He looked up, “But enough about bad histories. Why don’t you join me up here and we’ll begin?”
Gruff nodded, though if he was honest he’d have been fine just talking for the rest of the night. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to standing up on the stage with Jhison, quite frankly he wasn’t quite convinced this wasn’t an elaborate prank to make him look stupid. Still he tried not to let his apprehension or suspicion show as he made his way onto the stage.
Jhison was smiling as Gruff made his way to the center of the stage, “I’m very glad you’re here Gruff. It’s always a pleasure of mine to help newer members get their footing on the stage. Some take to it like a fish to water, but more often a student ends up standing like a deer in headlights when the light hits them.”
Gruff interrupted him, “You really love your metaphors don’t you?”
Jhison chuckled, “An unfortunate side effect of both my leading role in the drama club and my upbringing. My father and mother were both performers themselves, so speaking in a more formal vernacular has often been my default.”
Gruff looked at him, slightly intrigued, “Can you turn it off?”
Jhison winced, though it seemed to be consideration that was causing it rather than pain, “I can, but it’s difficult. Especially since a lot of the Drama Club talk like I do, though obviously to a lesser degree.”
Gruff huffed, “Well you might want to try here. I’m not a fan of fancy words.”
Jhison nodded, “Got it. I’ll try to make sure I don’t slip too much.”
Gruff nodded in return, “Cool. ‘Least we came to an agreement there.”
Jhison started to walk around the stage, “So, you’ve been up here a few times, but have you gotten a good grip on how it feels to be on stage?”
Gruff shook his head, “Not really. I was more concerned with making sure I didn’t look like an idiot up here.”
Jhison nodded, “That’s perfectly fine. I don’t think you’d be able to unless the stands were full anyway. But we can at least try and get you settled, you’re going to be the lead after all.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow quizzically, “And how are we gonna do that?”
Jhison looked at Gruff again, “Do you still remember the words from your audition song?” When Gruff nodded he continued, “I know how this is going to sound, but I need you to trust me on this one.”
Gruff’s brow furrowed, already not liking this, “What is it?”
Jhison at least had the decency to look ashamed, “I’m gonna let Ari off her leash. For as much as she’s one of our biggest supporters, she’s also our biggest critic. If you let her, she’ll tear apart any small weakness in your performance. But like I said, that’s only if you let her. If you don’t want her to, I can move to a different plan.”
Gruff was still unsure, “How exactly is this gonna help me get used to being on stage?”
Jhison grimaced, pain being the correct emotion this time, “Because we've had audience members who will not only boo and hiss at us, but throw things if we’re seen as especially bad that day. It’s only happened a few times thankfully, but if you can handle being criticized by Ari, I have no doubt you’ll be able to handle anyone trying that at an actual show. Of course, it’s still your call.”
Gruff thought it over for a minute. He already knew he wasn’t on par with the other members of the club, but he honestly doubted Ari had a sharp enough tongue to even get close to insulting him.
He turned to Jhison and nodded, “I’m game.”
Jhison nodded, “Alright. We’ll do it three times, let you get your bearings and give you a chance to work on anything Ari yells at you about. If you ever want to stop, yell ‘Spotlight’ and we’ll do a different exercise.” With that, Jhison moved off stage to where Gruff remembered the aux cord was. As Jhison got the music ready, Gruff noticed Ari positioning herself in the center of the room, clearly wanting Gruff to know where the insults were going to come from.
Gruff smirked, ‘Bring it on.’
He heard Jhison’s voice come from his left and turned to look at him, “Are you ready?”
Gruff nodded and the music began to play. Gruff began to recite the words of Dr. Jekyll, but he got no more than a sentence in before he heard Ari scoff, “You call that acting? I’ve seen amnesiac grandmothers who remember lines better than you. Had more spirit too, I’m just seeing your disappointing self, not a Dr.”
Gruff shrugged it off, they were surface level insults, stuff he heard all the time during wrestling meets. He continued, tuning out Ari’s voice. That was until it was time for him to sing, which was met with a loud groan and Ari covering her ears, “Gods above, who the hell taught you to sing? Because I’m pretty certain sounding like a seagull choking on plastic is a taught trait, not a learned one.”
Gruff tried to make sure she couldn’t see it, but that one stung a bit. He knew his singing voice wasn’t the best, but he also knew Ari wasn’t the only one who would be thinking that come opening night. Still he pushed on, not letting Ari have the satisfaction of seeing him sweat. Then came time for the pivotal moment, the transformation from Dr. Jekyll into Edward Hyde. Once again Gruff drew upon the rage he felt during his matches, letting out a roar as he pretended to be in pain.
However, it wasn’t long before he heard the Half-Elf once more, this time she was laughing, “Oh come on, you can’t seriously think that you sound like you’re in pain right? I’ve let out stronger roars when I stub my toe. Guess you must have lived a pretty cushy life if you think that sounded like pain.”
Gruff would look back on that moment later that day and be embarrassed that such a pitiful insult caused what happened next. Somehow she’d found the one thing he could and would not tolerate: thinking she knew anything about him and his life. The small spark of rage he’d used to fuel his acting, was now a full blaze aimed at Ari.
Gruff barely registered that he was yelling, “And what about you, pint size? You think you’re so high and mighty up there in your box with all your little toys, pretending like you have control over every little thing? You know what I see? Someone who wants everything to go her way, then throws a tantrum when they don’t.”
He didn’t know when it happened, but all of the sudden he was in front of Ari, “You want to talk about pain? How about we talk about the pain of getting beat by your foster dad because you didn’t carry a fucking dish right? Or how about the pain of a foster mom lacing your drink with soap because she thought it would be funny? Hell, maybe you want to talk about the pain someone feels when they're told their name is Dung and treated like a fucking slave?”
Gruff heard someone’s breath hitch and turned to see Kesta, hand covering her mouth and eyes already filled with tears. Then he looked at Jhison whose body seemed to be fighting between stepping in and staying out of the way. Finally he looked back down at Ari…who was smirking back at him.
Ari spoke up, “That feel good? Letting it out?”
Gruff didn’t feel anything but anger, “Shut the fuck up.”
Ari shrugged, “Fine by me, but I’ll let you know right now: audience members won’t be as kind. Hell they’ll egg you on even further just because they’ll wanna see you freak out. That’s an actor’s number one enemy. Not stage fright, not forgetting their lines; it’s the audience. They’ll be quick to applaud when they see something they like, but they’ll be just as quick to boo when they see something they don’t. My advice? Get ready to have everything about you attacked. Because in case you don’t remember: Jhison warned you this could happen.”
Gruff looked between the three of them again; the crying Kesta, the worried Jhison and the nonchalant Ari…and realized he’d let his own rage get the best of him.
‘That can’t happen here. Not when I just started to take the steps I need to to make Mom proud of me.’ Gruff turned to Jhison, “How do you do it? How can you even look at me right now without feeling any anger?”
Jhison turned his gaze away, and said only two words, “I can’t.”
He then looked back at Gruff, “As much as I try to pretend like you getting the part I’ve dreamed of having since I was a kid isn’t absolutely infuriating…it’s a lie. Every time I look at you I feel the anger creep in.” He took a deep breath, “But a friend of yours made me promise to try and set that aside so I could help you. I don’t enjoy breaking promises, even to near strangers. So how do I get past it? I bury it, like I do everytime I see someone target a member of our club with harmful words or actions. Because I would much rather ignore my feelings, than make them everyone else’s problem.”
Guff heard Kesta speak up, “Gruff…were all those things you said true?”
Gruff scoffed, “And if they were?”
Kesta didn’t respond. She merely walked over to Gruff…before wrapping him in a bone crushing hug (which was impressive since Gruff was a full head taller than her).
Gruff began to struggle, he didn’t like being touched on a good day, “What the hell are you doing?
Kesta sniffled, “Giving a hug to someone who needs it.”
Gruff struggled a bit more, “Well can you knock it off? I'm not a hugger.”
Kesta broke the hug once she heard that, but the tears were still falling, “I’m sorry. It’s just…I hate seeing anyone in pain, whether physical or emotional…and you’ve been through a lot of it. I’m sorry you had to deal with all that.”
Gruff looked down at her, confused, “Anyone ever tell you you’re too nice for your own good?”
Kesta laughed slightly as she sniffled, “It’s been said.”
Jhison spoke up again, “Gruff, if it’s too much we can end your rehearsal here. No one here would blame you if you didn’t want to ever come back.”
Gruff groaned and rubbed his forehead, his rage having finally subsided and leaving him with a small headache. While it was true he didn’t want to keep going…he knew if he didn’t push through this he’d essentially be giving up.
Gruff sighed, “Let’s keep going, but let’s do something else. I’m not looking to get angry again.”
Jhison nodded, “Of course. My next activity should be a lot easier to handle.”
Gruff nodded, but before he could make his way to the stage, he felt someone grab his arm. Turning to see Ari, he snorted, “What?”
Ari smirked, “You’re gonna do great. I’m starting to see why Raenar chose you for the lead. Though I gotta say, you’ve got a while before you’re ready to get on stage. Those weren’t even my best insults.”
Gruff locked eyes with her, “Just don’t say that shit again.”
Ari rolled her eyes before Gruff made his way back to the stage. As he climbed the steps, he couldn’t help but wonder what this next activity could be.
Jhison didn’t have him wonder for long once he’d gotten on stage, “So, one of the bigger ‘detriments’ you’re going to face when it comes to playing Jekyll and Hyde is that you’ll be a part of a lot of duets. How often do you sing with others?”
Gruff shrugged, “I mean sometimes when the team goes out for drinks we sing sea shanties together, but I doubt that’s the same thing.”
Jhison waved his hand in a ‘so-so’ motion, “You’re not wrong, but not quite right either. It’s good you’ve sung in a group before, but a duet is a whole different beast. When you’re singing in a group, unless you’re doing something extremely wrong no one should be focusing on you and you mostly just blend in with the others. However, for a duet, it’s just two people. Everyone will be focusing on you when it’s your turn to sing and the way you interact with your partner on the stage can have just as much impact as the words leaving your mouth.”
Gruff looked at Jhison, confused, “What do you mean?”
Jhison bit his lip, “Perhaps this one requires action over words.” He looked over to his partner, “Kesta, do you mind joining me?”
Kesta nodded and quickly made her way up, “What songs were you thinking?”
Jhison thought on it for a minute, “Hmm, I think ‘Two-Player Game' and ‘What Is This Feeling’ should help get the point across.”
Kesta nodded, “I’ll get the music ready.”
As Kesta walked over to the aux cord, Gruff looked back at Jhison, “What’s going on?”
Jhison met his gaze, “Kesta and I will perform two different duets with different contexts. While we’re doing this, I want you to focus on not just our words, but our body language.” He smirked, “Don’t worry, they’re not romance songs. No PDA from us.”
Gruff shrugged, “Whatever, do you want me still on stage or should I go sit down?”
Jhison thought about that one before answering, “I think on stage might provide an easier time reading the body language, but you’re welcome to sit if you’d rather do that.”
Gruff shook his head, “Nah, I’ll be fine.”
Kesta spoke up from off stage, “Alright, it’s all set up. Gruff, if you could come over here and press play for us, that would be appreciated.”
Gruff nodded and traded places with Kesta. Once they seemed to be ready, he started the music. With that, he heard a techno keyboard begin to play with Kesta faux-yelling a few seconds after. He watched as the two started to pretend they were just best friends, chilling out at someone’s house. As the two went on, he tried to follow Jhison’s advice and watch how they interacted. It was quite a bit different from how he’d seen them interact regularly. While normally Jhison and Kesta expressed affection with little touches, here they seemed to ramp it up to an extreme degree. Light touches turning to playful shoves, or teasing remarks. He didn’t see two partners, he saw a pair of best friends. It was frankly strange to see.
Before he realized it, the first song had ended and the other one had begun. And Gruff had to rub his eyes. It was almost like the two had broken up in the past two minutes and he hadn’t seen it. Jhison didn’t even seem to want to give Kesta the time of day and somehow Kesta was even more hate filled, probably because Jhison seemed to have the ‘support’ of the other ‘students’. The pair danced around each other in a way that seemed like if they even touched it’d devolve into a fight and Gruff had trouble following how the pair were able to convey such anger and hatred for each other.
Once the final note rang out for the second song, Gruff started to ask questions, “Did you two break up when I wasn’t looking?”
Jhison laughed, a bit strangled since he was regaining his breath, “That good, huh?”
Ari spoke up, “Oh yeah. If anyone in the club was here without context, they’d have spread the word you’d two had broken up so damn fast.”
Kesta laughed, “Quick, check to make sure Savah’s not here or we might have problems in the morning.”
The trio laughed and Gruff couldn’t help the smirk that appeared from that joke, “So that’s what you were talking about?”
Jhison nodded, “Yep. Vocal inflections are one thing, but when it comes to acting you have to use every part of your body otherwise you just look stiff and out of place. So, do you wanna try it?”
------------
Gruff felt a mixture of irritation and accomplishment as the four of them packed up. He’d gotten better at the whole ‘duet’ thing, but the satisfaction was tinged with irritation that he was stumbling over lyrics and how he still felt stiff. Still, he couldn’t deny that progress was happening and as the group walked out the door he was shocked to find himself in a half decent mood.
Jhison was speaking, “So, how about we join up again in two days time? Give you some time to research anything you might want to work on.”
Gruff nodded, “Yeah, sound’s good. I-”
“Gruff?”
Any semblance of a good mood Gruff might have had vanished when he heard that voice. He turned to see Turnan and a couple other members of the team, Atlas and Grom specifically, glaring at him with confused expressions.
Turnan spoke up again, “What the hell are you doing here? Especially with that freak?”
Gruff never claimed to be the smartest, but even he could tell who Turnan was talking about. Said person spoke up, “Ah, lovely to see you as well Turnan. I see time hasn’t made you any kinder.”
Turnan snarled at Jhison, “Shut the fuck up. Why the hell are you talking with my teammate?”
Jhison rolled his eyes, “Because we bumped into each other you imbecile. He was out for a walk and I accidentally hit him with the door as I was coming out of the Theatre Hall. We were just about to leave, before you decided to cause a ruckus that is.”
Turnan scoffed, “Yeah right. If that were true, you’d already be a bloody mess on the pavement like you should have been years ago. Guess freaks like you can’t help but lie can they?”
Jhison rolled his eyes again, “Believe what you want to, or you can listen to the truth. Either way, I have better things to do than listen to insults an elementary student could improve upon.”
Turnan fumed and reached out to grab Jhison, “You’re not leaving-huh?”
Turnan was surprised by the hand around his arm, Gruff’s hand more specifically, “What the hell man?”
Gruff snarled, “Let it go. We’re done here.”
Turnan growled at Gruff, “Why the hell are you defending him? I’m your teammate!”
Gruff scoffed, “Yeah, a teammate who’s about to go hog wild on someone who doesn’t matter. You do realize, you’d be the one in trouble if you grabbed him right? And do you want to risk having to miss out on the next meet?”
The anger on Tutnan’s face didn’t leave, but he did stop trying to grab Jhison. Jhison, for his part, just rolled his eyes, “Thank you Turnan for that lovely demonstration on why Jocks are seen as nothing more than muscle heads who use violence as their first and only reaction to something they don’t like. It’s a wonder you ever get dates with an attitude like that. We’ll take our leave now.”
With that, Gruff watched as the three club members walked off to the dormitory. When they were out of range, Gruff let go of Turnan who wheeled on him, “What the hell? How could you let him insult us like that?”
Gruff shook his head, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re on campus grounds. The second I laid a hand on him we’d be toast. I don’t know about you, but I’m not looking to start a rumor that we beat someone up because they said something mean. Or do you want us to be the laughing stock of the school?”
Turnan still didn’t seem appeased, “It’s just irritating. First I hear you’re playing nice with the Drama Club and now you’re letting people like that freak show insult us. What’s going on with you?”
Gruff decided to review that first part later, for now though, “Nothing’s ‘going on’ with me.” He shook his head and began to walk away, “I’ve got things to do. Go home, Turnan.”
------------
Turnan watched as Gruff walked away, fuming, ‘This isn’t right. A month ago Gruff would have stomped on that freak show like he deserves to be, not letting him go. Does he have blackmail on Gruff or something? He acted way too confident for someone surrounded by our team members. Almost like he knew he’d get away with whatever he said.’
Turnan turned to Atlas and Grom, “I think our captain’s being blackmailed. Next time you see that fancy talking prick…bring him to me.”
Notes:
Looks like a storm might be brewing on the horizon (ironically appropriate since it's been raining cat's and dog's in my area for a little bit now). My thanks once again to everyone who read this chapter and I hope to see you all next month.
Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Notes:
Hi there. So sorry for the late chapter, school and work have been piling up and I barely had enough time to breath. Regardless I hope you enjoy the chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
‘You know if I had a nickel for everytime I’ve been shoved against a wall by an angry jock, I’d probably have enough to pay for my tuition until I graduated.’
That was the only thing going through Jhison’s mind as his back hit the wall of one of the more secluded areas of the school. He couldn’t say he was surprised by the situation either. Turnan had been a pain in his side since they were children, though he knew Turnan would say Jhison was the pain. Turnan’s family had never hidden the fact that they saw Jhison to be a dangerous freak with his conditions and had often made attempts at turning the town Jhison had grown up in against his family. Fortunately, Turnan’s family had been the ones thrown out due to their blatant hatred and Jhison had spent the rest of his adolescence breathing a little easier.
‘I suppose that time has ended now.’ he thought to himself as he looked up at the Orc and Warforged Turnan had been with the other night. Out loud he said, “You know Turnan, bringing me here to beat me up has got to be one of the oldest cliches in the book. You could at least try to be original.”
Turnan scowled, “Do you see everything as one of those stupid plays you put on? News flash freak: this is the real world, not some made up fantasy where psychos like you get to have ‘happy endings’.”
Jhison chuckled despite himself, “You know the mental world might have a few things to say about you calling me a ‘psycho’. They’d probably start by saying you should be saying ‘socio’.”
Turnan stepped closer, taking up Jhison’s field of vision entirely, “Only you would be able to get your rocks off at correcting me right now. Seriously, what does Kesta even see in you?”
Jhison rolled his eyes, “If I knew I’d tell you. But honestly, I’m pretty sure only the gods do at this point. I mean your family wasn’t exactly wrong when they told everyone I was a ‘danger to society at large’. Though you could have been a bit more tactful about it; maybe we would have been the ones to leave if you had.”
Jhison sighed, “Now could you please tell me why I’m here so I can vehemently deny or lie about it, at which point you proceed to beat me up? I’d like to know whether Dr. Blackcloak will be receiving another call this semester or not.”
Turnan scoffed, “Cocky to the end. Fine then: hand over whatever blackmail you have on Gruff and I’ll let you get away with just a black eye.”
Jhison sighed, “Deny over lie then. I don’t have any blackmail on your captain. Though I do have a question for you: if I did, do you really think I’d be stupid enough to keep it on my person?”
Turnan growled at Jhison, “Maybe not, but you are dumb if you think I believe you for even a second. The Gruff I know would have turned you into a bloody paste if you had run into him like you said you did.”
Jhison smirked again, “Well then another question for you: How well do you truly know your captain?”
Jhison honestly expected what happened next, namely Turnan punching him in the gut and knocking the wind out of him. Jhison tried his best to fight falling to his knees, but his body was frail in comparison to Turnan’s.
Still Jhison couldn’t fight the chuckle that escaped him, “H-heh. Mu-must still be *gasp* pretty in-insecure *cough* if that got so riled u-up.”
Turnan’s only response was to kick Jhison in the side. Jhison barely registered as Turnan told the other two to stand guard. Jhison coughed again, “I-I know I *cough* som-somewhat asked for t-this, but m-mind the *coughcough* face, yes?”
Turnan cracked his knuckles, “Maybe I will if you tell me what you’ve got on Gruff.”
Jhison sighed, though he coughed again in the middle, “Alright then. Do your worst.”
Turnan smirked, “Gladly.”
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Nathmar was worried. He hadn’t seen Turnan, Grom or Atlas since practice and knowing that Turnan was snooping around made that fact even less appealing. Currently he was texting the team group chat to see if anyone could clue him in, but none of the other members knew where the three could be found. Before he could begin to think of anything else, he got a call from Kesta.
‘This can’t be good.’ he picked up the call, “What’s going on?”
“Oh good you picked up. I wasn’t sure you would.” Kesta sounded worried, “Jhison is missing. He hasn’t shown up to rehearsal yet and he’s not answering my calls. We’re sending the word out to everyone we can to keep an eye out for him.”
‘I can’t find Turnan and Jhison is missing at the same time? Pretty sure that’s not a coincidence.’ To Kesta he said, “Hey I need a question answered: Do you know anyone by the name of Turnan?”
Kesta’s voice carried a bit of poison as it came through, “What does that bastard have to do with this?”
Nathmar chuckled, “Guess that answers my question then. On a scale of one to ten, how bad would you say they hate each other?”
Kesta scoffed, “Turnan’s a ten for sure, I’d put Jhison at about a seven for the other way around. To call Turnan’s family bigoted towards Jhison would be an understatement.”
Nathmar nodded in response, “Got it. You guys run into each other recently?”
He was pretty sure Kesta nodded in response to his question, “The other night after Gruff’s private rehearsal we ran into him and two others. He didn’t like seeing Jhison near Gruff.”
Nathmar ran a hand through his hair, “Then my suspicions are confirmed. I’m pretty sure Jhison’s getting beat up right now.”
Kesta sighed, not nearly as surprised as Nathmar had expected her to be, “That tracks unfortunately. I’ll alert campus security. If we’re lucky they’ll be the ones to find them so it doesn't turn into a ‘he said, she said’ situation.”
Nathmar didn’t quite like that plan, “I’m gonna look around campus, see if I can’t stop what might be going down.”
Kesta answered in the affirmative, “Thank you Nathmar. It means a lot.”
Nathmar smirked, “Of course, you guys are my teammates too now. I’ll call back when I find them.”
After a quick good-bye from Kesta, Nathmar hung up. He then scrolled down his contact list before pressing a name near the bottom. After two rings, Nathmar heard Oak’s voice on the other end, “Is Turnan stirring up trouble like you said he might?”
Nathmar smirked again, “Yep. If I’m right, he’s beating up the star performer of the Drama Club right now. You know this place like the back of your hand, yeah? I need your help tracking them down.”
Oak’s voice came through determined, “Of course. Meet me by the library.”
With nothing more to say, Nathmar let the line go dead, before jogging as fast as he could over to the library. He saw Oak standing outside the building, but was surprised to see a familiar elf with them.
“Therumani? I thought you were at rehearsal?”
Therumani shrugged, “Actually I was gonna blow it off to spend time with my girlfriends before I got the message Jhison was missing. I just happened to run into Oak at the same time.”
Nathmar looked between the two of them, “GSA?”
Oak nodded, “GSA. You should meet her girlfriend Lu’nafi. She’s quite nice.”
Nathmar waved it off, “Later. Right now I’ve got a teammate to find.”
Oak’s face turned serious as they closed their eyes, “Let me think for a minute. There’s only so many places they could be. It would have to be close to campus so Turnan could grab Jhison, but not so close that they’d be easily seen.”
After a minute Oak snapped their fingers, “I’ve got it. There’s a secluded spot near the science labs. No one goes over there but the science majors.”
Nathmar nodded, “Lead the way then.”
The trio began to run, with Oak taking the lead. Nathmar had one last thought before the hunt began in earnest, ‘Don’t worry Jhison, we’re coming.’
------------
Jhison knew that he probably looked quite a sight. Blood was pouring out of his nose and he was fairly certain he had some nice bruises to match. Though he had a feeling the ribs he heard crack a few moments into the beatdown would probably be his biggest problem. Jhison might not feel so bad about the beatdown if he’d deserved it, but seeing as he was being accused of having something that didn’t exist, all he could feel was exhaustion.
Jhison coughed, before trying to speak, “A-are y-y *cough* q-q-qui-te do-one?”
Turnan looked him over, “Hmm…nah.”
Jhison resigned himself to another beatdown as Turnan geared up another kick, but before it could land he heard a familiar voice. By the way Turnan halted his assault, Jhison could tell it was familiar to him too.
“TURNAN! YOU BETTER HAVE A DAMN GOOD REASON FOR THIS!”, Nathmar yelled out as he drew closer. Jhison wasn’t sure due to his swelling eyes, but it seemed he had backup.
Jhison heard Turnan curse under his breath, “Damn it. What the hell are those two doing here?”
Turnan didn’t have to wait long to have his question answered, “Why the hell am I finding out through third party sources that you’re beating up drama kids?”
Turnan scoffed, “I’m doing the team a favor. This psychopath has blackmail on our captain. I’m just persuading him to get rid of it.”
Jhison couldn’t help himself, “S-socio-path. *cough*.”
Turnan motioned towards Jhison, “See? He admits it.”
Nathmar glared at Turnan, “To being a sociopath maybe, but not to blackmailing Gruff. Why do you even think he has any?”
Turnan scoffed, “Easy: because he didn’t do what I’m doing now when the freak hit Gruff with a door.”
Nathmar seemed to take a minute, apparently trying to grasp the reasoning, “So let me get this straight: because Gruff didn’t fly off the handle and attack someone, you think he’s being blackmailed?”
Turnan had the decency to look embarrassed, “Well when you say it like that-”
Nathmar cut him off, “No. No matter what way I say it, it sounds stupid. You do realize that if campus security had been the one to find you you’d have been kicked out right? Or are you trying to keep the stereotype that Jocks don’t think before they act?”
Jhison chuckled, “De- *cough* ja Vu.”
Turnan scowled, “Look, maybe you don’t know him, but I do. And this freak has had this coming for years. So walk away Nathmar and let me beat the info out of him.”
Nathmar didn’t budge, in fact he brought his hands up, “Take one step towards him and it’ll be you on the ground.”
Turnan only got angrier, “Why is everyone suddenly against me? First Gruff and now you? Why the fuck are you defending him?”
Nathmar shrugged, “Easy. Because he’s my teammate. And you know as well as I do: No one touches my teammates.”
Turnan squinted, “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Nathmar sighed, “The fact that you need to be told this…I’m in the Drama Club dumbass.”
Turnan’s expression didn’t change, “No you’re not.”
Nathmar facepalmed, “And you’re certain of this because…?”
“Because the people in that club are narcissistic fucks who get off on other people watching them play pretend.”
Nathmar blanched, “Wow. How is it I’m just seeing this side of you? Like where was this when we went drinking?”
Turnan glared daggers at Nathmar, “I’ve always been this way. You’re the one who’s changed. Abandoning your teammates to do what? Play dress up and sing songs like a fucking weakling? Where’s the Nathmar that wouldn’t hesitate to crack ribs if someone insulted us? Where’s the Nathmar who’d shut up anyone who thought they were better than us?”
Nathmar sighed, “That Nathmar is someone you’ve created in your head. I’m not that ruthless and I don’t pick fights. Wake up Turnan, you’re the only one who thinks like that.”
Jhison saw Turnan glance around, then saw realization replace anger as he saw that the two he’d brought with him were long gone, leaving him surrounded.
Jhison saw an Earth Genasi speak up, “Give it up Turnan. If you leave Jhison alone, we can try and work this out. No one has to get kicked out.”
Mentally Jhison didn’t quite agree, but decided to save what little breath he was able to take in. However, Turnan didn’t seem keen on taking the offered deal, deciding instead to run towards what he perceived as the weakest link in their circle: Therumani. His guess was correct as he easily shoved her aside before making a run for it. Jhison winced at the crack he heard as Therumani fell to the ground, the sound emanating from her ankle and a cry of pain quickly following it.
Nathmar seemed to be torn between chasing after Turnan and helping Therumani. The Earth Genasi broke the mental tie, “Leave him. We’ll corner him at practice tomorrow. For now, we need to get these two to the hospital.”
Nathmar groaned, “I hate it when you’re right. Give me a sec, I need to make a call.”
Jhison watched Nathmar walk off to the side before he reached into his pocket and started to make a call. Jhison couldn’t quite hear him and was even further distracted by the Earth Genasi kneeling in front of him, “I’m sorry for the actions of our teammate.”
Jhison drew in a breath to speak, but the Genasi held up a hand, “Save your strength. You’ll need it, he left you in pretty bad shape.”
Jhison didn’t even try to fight it, letting his eyes close and resting his body against the wall.
------------
Turnan didn’t know where he was running to. All he knew was that he needed to get away from campus. His blind running eventually led him down an alleyway he was certain no one would find.
Catching his breath, he threw a punch at a nearby wall, “Damn it! Traitors the lot of them. Why can’t they see I was just doing what was best for the team?”
“Oh it is troubling when others can’t see past the actions to the intentions isn’t it?”
Turnan jumped, not expecting to hear a voice behind him. He quickly turned to see a Firbolg in a well kept green suit, “Who the hell are you?”
The Firbolg raised his hands to show he meant no harm, “My associates just call me Mr. Green. But that’s not important. What is important is that I’m here to offer my services. You see I’ve made a job out of getting information from people that would rather keep things hidden. A private investigator of sorts.”
Turnan’s eyes widened, “You're saying you can get that freak to turn over his blackmail?”
Mr. Green nodded, “I can. However, my services don’t come free.”
Turnan started to get uneasy, “I doubt I can just say name your price. I’m not exactly loaded.”
Mr. Green waved him off, “Don’t trouble yourself with that. All I need is a favor from you. One I get to call on at any time.”
Turnan squinted, “That’s it? Just a favor?”
Mr. Green nodded, “Just a favor and you’ll get to relieve your captain of his chains. Now doesn't that sound like a good deal?”
Turnana didn’t even think twice before holding out his hand, “You’ve got a deal. Anything to get my team back to normal.”
Mr. Green took the offered hand, “Wonderful. I’m afraid I must take my leave now, but I’ll be in contact once the information has been destroyed.” He started to walk away, “Have a good day now.”
Turnan couldn't believe his good fortune. Getting back at Jhison and getting his team back to normal for just a favor? He’d have been crazy not to take that deal.
‘Just you wait Jhison. You’ll be getting everything that you deserve.’
Notes:
Plots, schemes and false accusations; what a fun time we have here. Before you guys head out though I just want to say thank you. The story just cracked over 100 hits which way more people or repeat customers than I thought would ever read this. I'm genuinely grateful there are people enjoying my first long form story. It means a lot.
With that out of the way, I hope to see you next chapter.
Chapter 20: Chapter 20
Notes:
This is going up a bit later than I'd like, but it's my own fault. Let too many things fall by the wayside at the same time. Still the chapter is here for your viewing pleasure. I do hope you enjoy, but heads up...things are gonna get dark.
Customary thank you to the DM for being such a wonderful beta and getting this back to me in such a short time. Couldn't do this without you.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“So are you ever gonna tell me who beat you up? You’ve been weirdly quiet about that.”
Jhison grimaced slightly at Gruff’s question. While the prodding hadn’t been frequent, Gruff had been somewhat adamant about ‘paying back’ the person who’d beaten him up. While Jhison had admittedly been tempted to tell Gruff, he also knew Gruff would most likely take Turnan’s side over his if it came down to it, so he stayed quiet about it.
Jhison mock sighed, “If I didn’t tell you day one, I’m not going to tell you day…whatever this is. What, two weeks now?”
Gruff nodded, “About that, yeah.”
Jhison lightly groaned, “Why does time always seem to speed past and go slow all at once? It makes no sense.”
Gruff let out a small laugh, “Drama queen.”
Jhison smirked, “And proud. Though you don’t have much more room to talk, mister. You’ve made quite a bit of progress these past two weeks.”
Indeed, while Gruff’s singing voice was still nowhere near the level of the more talented members of the club; his timing, line reading and general acting ability had improved immensely from where it had begun. Jhison couldn’t take all the credit for it either. Despite Gruff’s protests initially, once he got it in his head he could do it the skills developed almost supernaturally. Jhison had to agree with Mr. Neverember; Gruff really did have a hidden talent for acting.
Currently they were taking a break during one of Gruff’s private rehearsals. The club itself had been canceled due to Mr. Neverember being out sick for the day and Ari having an important project at the time, meaning no one was allowed to touch her instruments. Jhison offered to still work with Gruff and Gruff decided he’d rather work on the play than anything else.
The two were sitting in a comfortable silence for a bit before Gruff spoke up, “So…how did you and Kesta meet?”
Jhison raised an eyebrow in confusion, “Bit off topic don’t you think?”
Gruff shrugged, “Well everyone in the club keeps going on about how it’s a miracle she agreed to date you, I just wanna be caught up on why.”
Jhison chuckled, “Much as I’d love to take credit for it, she’s the one who asked me out first. I believe her exact words were ‘You’re never going to do it yourself, so meet me at the restaurant at 8’. It’s been a few years though, there might have been more swearing involved.”
Gruff laughed at that, “Seriously?”
Jhison nodded, “Oh yes. She very much wears the pants in our relationship. You have to understand, due to my particular set of issues, I’d given up on finding someone to love me romantically since the day I understood what could happen should I snap. Kesta though, she didn’t let me wallow. She forced me into every safe social interaction she could, made me try out for every play our hometown held and made sure I never was left alone after an episode.”
Jhison knew his expression had gone wistful, “When even I had given up on myself, she found the person I could be and helped me reach that potential. Honestly it’s no wonder I fell for her so hard. I just can’t figure out how she fell for me.”
Gruff smirked, “I can’t see it either. You’re a stuck up prick, who loves playing pretend.”
Jhison laughed, “That’s Mr. Stuck up prick to you. So why the question if you don’t mind my asking? You’re not one to talk about feelings and romantics.”
Jhison was surprised as Gruff turned away from him and even more surprised at the blush that grew on the Half-Orc’s face, “I…may have a crush on someone and thought you might be a good choice for advice. Nathmar’s my best friend, but he and I have never been good with feelings.”
Jhison made a non-committal face, “You two are better than you might think, though I’m…honored I guess you chose me to come to with this. Though admittedly you might have come to the wrong person. A common joke around here is that even though I landed Kesta, I’ve no idea of how I did it.”
Gruff sighed, “I kinda figured after your story. Whatever, I’ll probably ask Nathmar anyway then.”
Jhison thought about it for a moment. While Gruff did seem content with just going to Nathmar, he wasn’t sure he was fine leaving Gruff hanging like that, ‘How hard could it be to give some advice? I’ve played dozens of characters who were in love. What’s one more act?’
Out loud he said, “I might still be able to help you know. I still have some experience if nothing else. What are they like?”
Gruff grimaced, “I don’t really know. I’ve only really met him once, and any other time I see him it’s in passing.”
Jhison nodded, “Ah, and I take it you two don’t share any classes or clubs?”
Gruff shook his head, “I heard he goes to the GSA pretty frequently…but I don’t think that’s my kind of place.”
Jhison shrugged, “You’d be surprised, it’s a lot like the drama club when it comes to inclusivity. They’d probably give you a warmer welcome than we did when you showed up at least.”
Gruff snorted, “So dry ice instead of sheet of ice?”
Jhison chuckled, “Precisely. Now back to the topic at hand, do you know any of this person’s interests?”
Gruff made a so-so motion with his hand, “I know he likes to work out, but not much else.”
Jhison nodded again, “Okay that’s something at least. Do you two frequent the gym at the same time often?”
Gruff shook his head, “He works out later than I can so our schedules don’t match up.”
Jhison thought on it, “Have you considered inviting him to work out with you?
Gruff made a face like he wasn’t the biggest fan of that option, “Wouldn’t that look suspicious? Especially since I don’t know him that well.”
Jhison ‘tsk’d’, “Fair point. It would definitely be strange to invite him out of almost nowhere.” Jhison thought it over a little more, “You might not like this plan, but it’s the best one I’ve got. Start attending GSA meetings. That way it’ll seem more natural when you invite him to work out since you’ll have interacted with him more. Plus that might give you a way to learn more about him from an outside view before getting into any kind of relationship with him, platonic or otherwise. You might save yourself some time if he turns out to be someone you’d rather not chase.”
Gruff seemed to think over the plan…before nodding, “I can’t say I like it, but you’re not wrong that there aren’t a lot of other options.”
Jhison internally sighed in relief, “I’m glad I was able to at least give you a starting point. You’re capable, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble putting the plan into motion.”
Jhison looked down at his watch, “Alright, break time’s over. Let’s get back to it.”
Gruff nodded and stood up from the edge of the stage where he’d been sitting. Jhison met him in the center of the stage, “Alright, you’ve been improving a lot these past few weeks, but you’re still having trouble in one very important aspect: distinguishing Jekyll vs Hyde. I understand that playing two characters for your first performance is asking a lot, especially ones that are so different in personality, but this is something you have to nail. The conflict between Jekyll and Hyde is the centerpoint of the whole story, so if the audience can’t tell who’s who during a given scene, you’re already failing.”
Gruff seemed to be following along well enough, “So what do you think will help?”
Jhison smiled, “I’m glad you asked. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the soundtrack of the play, but there’s a song near the end called ‘Confrontation’. It’s the moment Jekyll decides he can no longer contain Hyde and resolves to end his own life to end the horror of Hyde’s crime spree. Are you familiar?”
Gruff made the same hand motion, “I listened to a few seconds of it when I was prepping for my audition, but haven’t really listened since.”
Jhison smirked, “Well then, prepare yourself. By the end of this rehearsal, you’ll wish you’d never heard it in the first place.”
------------
Gruff hadn’t expected Jhison to make good on his word, but roughly an hour later and Gruff was certain that if he heard the song one more time, he was going to tear one of the speakers off the wall and throw it. The song was…fine he supposed, but listening to the same song over…and over…and over again was not something Gruff made a habit of. Maybe he’d do it once or twice if he liked a beat of a song or certain lyrics, but hearing one over a dozen times in a row was grating on him. It didn’t help that he was starting to get dizzy from all the back and forth spinning Jhison was having him do as he switched between Jekyll and Hyde during the song.
Gruff sat down after the last note rang out again, “I’m done. I’m getting dizzy.”
Jhison chuckled, “That’s fair I suppose, I may have went a little too far there on the number of times. If it’s any consolation, you’re doing quite well in distinguishing who’s who. Still not at the level I’d like, but I understand my expectations are a bit high compared to others.”
Gruff let out a little laugh, “Still can’t help but use big words, huh?”
Jhison shrugged, laughing as well, “Look I’m trying here okay? I’m used to using the big ones. The small ones just don’t do it for me.”
Gruff laughed again, “Whatever nerd. I think I’m done for today, I’ve got some work I need to do back at home and I gotta talk to Nath about visiting the GSA.”
Jhison nodded and went to collect his phone, “Sure thing. If you wanna go on ahead you’re welcome to, I’m just gonna clean up the stage a bit. A clean stage makes for-”
Gruff cut him off, “A clean performance right?”
Jhison smiled, “Exactly. Seems like you’re more like one of us than I gave you credit for.”
Gruff shrugged, “It’s been…fun. Don’t think I’ll do it again though, you can have your spotlight back after this one.”
Jhison chuckled, “I’ll be glad to have it back. But even if you don’t audition for a lead again, I wouldn’t mind having you as a co-star. Maybe think on it when the season rolls around again.”
Gruff waved him off, “I might, I might not. See ya.”
Jhison waved back, “Have a good day Gruff.”
Gruff left through the double doors of the main theater and made his way outside as evening was beginning. Gruff took a moment to take in the fresh air, he’d always been a fan of the outside in comparison to indoors, before making his way towards the dorms. He reflected on everything that had happened since he’d been called into the headmaster’s office that month ago. He’d picked a major, found an extracurricular beside wrestling he was somewhat enjoying, he had more people he could consider friends…if he was honest he was kind of glad he’d gotten in that fight if it meant he got all this as a reward. Maybe Umberlee was smiling a little more kindly on him lately.
Gruff was pulled out of his thoughts though as he felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he was confused to see Nathmar’s number on the screen. Nathmar didn’t really call Gruff unless it was urgent, so he picked up immediately, “What’s going on?”
Nathmar sounded out of breath, “Oh thank the gods you picked up. Where are you right now?”
Gruff started to grow concerned, “Outside the Theatre Hall, why?”
Nathmar’s voice went up in volume, “Because the dorms are on fire and I didn’t want you to be as well.”
Gruff felt his heart jump into his throat, “What!?”
Nathmar spoke hurriedly, “I was walking back from my date with Folgrand and I saw a crowd surrounding the dorm building, a lot of them looking on in horror. I thought maybe someone was gonna jump, but when I looked at the building I saw black smoke rising from the top.”
Gruff was already running, “How far do you think it’s spread?”
Nathmar was silent for a minute, “...Gruff tell me you’re not thinking about going in.”
Gruff ignored him, “Answer the question.”
Nathmar yelled at Gruff, “Gruff don’t be stupid, there’s no way you’d make it out in time with whatever it is you’re trying to save. The smoke alone would kill you.”
Gruff could already see the crowd outside the building, “Look, there’s something in there I can’t let burn okay? I’ll be in and out.”
Nathmar went silent, “...I swear to the gods if you make me drag my charcoaled best friend out of there, there will be hell to pay. You’ve got ten minutes before I forcibly drag your ass outta there.”
Gruff nodded, “I won’t even need five. See you when I get back.”
With that Gruff hung up the call and made his way through the crowd of onlookers. Pretty much everyone moved out of the way since Gruff outweighed most of them and the others were more shocked than anything else. A few members of campus security were already forming a barrier, clearly making it so no one could go in.
Gruff didn’t care though, “Move, my roommate’s still in there. I need to go get him.”
A security member spoke up, “Sir your concern is noted, but we can’t let anyone in there. We have a team already combing the building for stragglers. If you just inform us of your-”
Gruff growled, “Fuck that, you guys are too slow.”
The same member spoke up again, “Sir, I understand you’re frustrated, but the fire has already claimed the top floor of the building. Anyone going in there would be risking their lives and we have a duty to protect the students on this campus.”
Gruff just growled again, “Move, or I’ll make you move.”
Gruff felt a hand on his shoulder, “I’d think twice before threatening a member of campus security like that Mr. Sharptooth.”
Gruff turned to see Ms. Wildwood smirking at him, “My associate has already informed you of both the dangers and team inside. If you just cooperate with us, I’m sure we’ll be able to escort your roommate to safety. Although,” she said, pointing towards the edge of the crowd, “I’m fairly certain you don’t have one other than him.”
Gruff looked and sure enough, she was pointing at Nathmar, who’d attempted to hide himself but evidently didn’t do a good enough job. Gruff growled, slightly pissed his lie had been seen through, “Alright fine, my roommates fine, but there’s something I have to get from my room. I promise it won’t take long, I’m fast.”
Mr. Wildwood shook her head, “I can attest to that for how many running infractions you have, but while you may not like it, I can’t let you go in there for a memento. We can radio the team inside, but if your room’s already compromised I’m afraid it’s going to have to burn. I won’t risk the safety of my team and the other students for a keepsake.”
Gruff shrugged her off, “I’m not asking you to, I’m putting my own life on the line here.”
Ms. Wildwood sighed, “Clearly you skipped over the ‘other students’ bit there. That includes you Mr. Sharptooth. I know you don’t like me, but you’re still under my protection and I won’t have you run in there to get killed. Please, just give us a description and I’ll have my team do everything they can to retrieve your item.”
Gruff quickly scanned the area…and made his choice. He heard the security member in front of the door cry out as Gruff pushed past them and ran towards the dorm. He felt a few hands try to grab at him, but Gruff was used to people trying to grab him and quickly pulled the offending hands off of him. Making it into the dorms, he immediately had to blink away tears. Although the fire was reported to have been started on the third floor, there was still a substantial amount of smoke on the first floor that caused Gruff to have to breathe heavier. Gruff pushed through that though, immediately running towards the stairs he’d climbed a thousand times before.
As he made his way to the second floor, he saw some of the team the others had mentioned before helping some of the students out of their rooms. Each member seemed to be equipped with a mask to help regulate their breathing and he saw a few were carrying more on their hip, presumably for other students to use. Gruff briefly thought about grabbing for one, but decided it would take too long since he didn’t know how they were clipped on, and continued to dash past everyone. While some of the team seemed to want to stop him, with how fast he was moving none of them could.
It took longer than he’d have liked, but he did make it to the second floor and almost immediately regretted it. The fire had spread way faster than had been reported, with over half of the second floor up in flames…including his and Nathmar’s room. Gruff steeled himself, using his arms to shield himself from the flames before charging in. The flames immediately began to brush against him, finding small bits of purchase in his clothing before being brushed away by Gruff. It took longer than he would have liked again, but Gruff did eventually make it to his room where he didn’t even bother with the door handle, opting instead to bash into the weakened door with his shoulder. While the door broke down relatively easily, Gruff didn’t make it out unscathed with the part of his shirt that covered his shoulder being completely burned away and burns already starting to form on Gruff’s skin. Gruff paid no mind however, adrenaline and the desperate need to retrieve his belongings fueling his every step.
Every step in the engulfed room felt like running a mile. His lungs were filled with smoke, heat was raining down on him from every angle, and his eyes were tearing up making it hard to see what was in front of him. It didn’t matter though, he had to make it to his room. One step…three steps…five steps and he was there, breaking down his own door and earning more burns. Once the door was out of his way he ran over to his desk, hoping beyond hope the item was left somewhat untouched. As his tear filled eyes scanned the desk, he nearly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the item sitting proudly on top of it. The small black wooden box had somehow been almost entirely untouched, only singed on the edges. He quickly grabbed the box and raced back out the open doors…just in time to see Jhison running past him towards the third floor.
Gruff shouted at him, smoke the last thing on his mind, “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?”
Jhison only shouted over his shoulder, “I CAN’T LET HER WORK BURN!”
Gruff got angry, “YOU’LL BURN FIRST IF YOU GO THAT WAY!”
Jhison didn’t seem to listen as he made his way up the stairs, seemingly uncaring about the flames that consumed them.
Gruff knew he only had a minute to think of what to do next. He had what he needed and time was running out for him to get out of this alive. Jhison has put himself in this situation and if Gruff could make it out fine, then he trusted Jhison would too. At least that’s what he’d like to think. In reality though, he knew he was surviving on dumb luck and his own strength…something he knew Jhison didn’t have.
Gruff loudly cursed, “DAMN IT JHISON!” before running after the near suicidal Human. If he thought moving up the first staircase was difficult, this one was a whole different beast. His feet were being burned with every step and the smoke was even heavier than it had been before. More than once Gruff thought of turning back, but whether it was his conscience or the unwillingness to leave a team member behind, he kept following after Jhison. As he reached the top of the stairs, his eyes shut against his will due to the sheer amount of smoke and heat that assaulted his body.
He called out, hoping Jhison could hear him, “JHISON! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?”
He heard Jhison call out a little further ahead of him, “TURN BACK GRUFF. YOU DON’T NEED TO BE HERE!”
Gruff got angry at that, “I DO IF YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING THAT’S GOING TO GET YOU KILLED. THERE’S NO WAY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SURVIVED, THIS PLACE IS COVERED WITH FIRE.”
Jhison only yelled back, “I DON’T CARE! IF THERE’S EVEN A CHANCE THEY’VE SURVIVED I HAVE TO TAKE IT.”
Gruff had a pretty decent idea of where Jhison was now and started to make his way over, ignoring the fire that grabbed at every little bit of him it could, “WHAT IS EVEN SO IMPORTANT YOU HAVE TO RISK YOUR LIFE FOR IT?”
Jhison only yelled back, “KESTA’S STAR CHARTS ARE STILL IN THERE. SHE’S BEEN MAKING THEM SINCE SHE WAS A CHILD, AND I WON’T LET HER HARD WORK GO TO WASTE!”
Gruff knew he was getting close now, only one more sentence and he’d be able to grab Jhison, “SHE CAN MAKE MORE YOU DUMBASS! I’M PRETTY SURE SHE’D BE MORE UPSET YOU GOT YOURSELF KILLED TRYING TO SAVE THEM!”
Jhison yelled back just as he hoped, “I STILL HAVE TO TRY!”
Gruff had one thought before his arms wrapped around a lithe Human body, ‘Gotcha.’
Jhison immediately began to flail, “NO! LET ME GO!”
Gruff didn’t even respond, just dragged Jhison back towards the stairs. For all the flailing Jhison did, it didn’t matter against Gruff’s pure strength. It only took a minute for Gruff to throw Jhison over his shoulder and run back down the stairs. Jhison quickly realized he wasn’t breaking free and resigned himself to screaming at the door and pounding as hard as he could on Gruff’s back. Gruff flew down the stairs, barely letting his foot hit the ground before taking the next step. As he rounded the corner he heard the sound of cracking as what he assumed was a floor collapsed above him. Gruff knew his time was pretty much up and pushed his body to its absolute limit to get him and Jhison out of there.
Just as he was running down the second flight of stairs, he felt the stone and plaster of one of the steps give way making him fall forward and down the stairs. Each subsequent step hurt due to the solidity of the stairs and the heat of the flames and Gruff knew that if he did make it out alive, he’d be in the hospital for a long time. Once the two of them hit the floor, Gruff took stock of his body and grimaced as he felt his chest was tighter than it had been a moment ago. However, he didn’t allow that to stop him and quickly picked himself up. He located the box first before finding Jhison, unconscious from the fall, and putting him back over his shoulder.
Gruff muttered under his breath, “Fucking prick, how the fuck did you actually get me to care about you?”
Jhison, of course, didn’t answer and Gruff was left to trudge his way back to the entrance in relative silence. He’d nearly made it there when he saw the doors swing open and a group of security members swarmed in grabbing both Gruff and the unconscious Jhison from off his back. Gruff let his weight be carried by the two members that were holding onto him and he soon felt the cool breeze of the night air hit his skin. Another minute of dragging and he felt the two security guards lower him onto a gurney, Gruff grimacing in pain as his chest was moved around. Once he was safely on top, an oxygen mask was placed over his mouth, providing Gruff with the air he so desperately needed after being in the smoke filled building. Once his breathing was fuller, he took stock of himself and sighed in relief as he felt the box in his left hand.
Gruff spoke up, his voice barely above a whisper, “H-how’s *cough* Jhison?”
He heard one of the staff respond, “Don’t talk right now, you need your strength. Your friend is fine though, frankly it’s a miracle you two survived.”
He didn’t get much time to think on that before he heard a familiar voice cry out, “STARLIGHT!”
Gruff cracked his eyes open and saw Kesta running over to the other gurney, tears streaming down her face. She was almost at Jhison side, but was held back by Ms. Wildwood, “Ms. Northrun, I understand your concern, but crowding Mr. Benevill will only make things worse.”
Kesta’s face when she heard that held more rage than he’d ever seen before, “You know I’m studying medicine, there’s nothing you can tell me that I don’t already know. Now stand aside and let me go see my Fiance.”
Ms. Wildwood shook her head, “Rules are rules Ms. Northrun, only immediate family and emergency contacts are allowed to be near patients.”
Kesta’s face turned indignant, “Well then I suppose it’s a good thing I’m first on his list now isn’t it? Now will you move or am I going to have to inform the headmaster her head of security barred an emergency contact from their documented patient?”
Ms. Wildwood scowled at her, but moved aside all the same. Kesta flashed a smirk her way before finishing the trip to Jhison’s gurney.
Gruff turned away, this was their moment and it didn’t feel right to intrude. He merely looked up at the sky, before closing his eyes and sending a prayer to Umberlee, thanking her for another day of survival.
------------
Nathmar watched on as they carried both Gruff and Jhison away in a pair of ambulances. Campus security had already informed the gathered crowd that alternate lodgings were being handled and that they needed to move to the gym to get a head count of how many people they’d need to relocate.
Nathmar stood still for a moment, just watching the crowds before spotting the throuple of Feru’ma, Lu’nafi and Therumani moving towards the gym, the latter two huddled around the former. They seemed to be comforting Feru’ma and from the looks of the soot marks on her skin, it seemed like she’d been inside when the fire had started. Nathmar couldn’t help but feel for her, that couldn’t have been a good place to be, but he was glad she had two partners to comfort her and help keep her grounded.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Nathmar turned at the words and saw Turnan muttering to himself, staring in shock at the still blazing flames, “Why did he go this far?”
Nathmar’s blood ran cold hearing that and he started making his way towards Turnan. He grabbed the Human by the collar once he’d reached him, “You wanna explain what you just said?”
Turnan didn’t even seem to register the danger he was in, “I-I just wanted the blackmail gone. I didn’t think he’d go this far to do it.”
Nathmar slammed his fist into Turnan’s gut, dropping him and causing Turnan to cough violently, “Unbelievable! You still think Jhison had blackmail on Gruff? Why the fuck won’t you just take him at his word? Actually answer this question first: who the fuck is ‘he’?”
Turnan coughed through his answer, “ M-*cough* Mr.-*cough cough* G-Green. He *cough* s-said he w-*cough*ould help.”
Nathmar felt his stomach drop at Turnan’s words, “You didn’t. Turnan for the love of the gods, tell me you didn’t.”
Turnan had mostly recovered at this point, but tears were pouring from his eyes, “I swear I didn’t know he’d do this. I-I just wanted my teammates back.”
Nathmar’s vision was bright red, though from his anger or the flames in the backdrop he couldn’t tell, “Well now, because of your idiodic actions, you might’ve just killed one of them. And you have no one to blame but yourself.”
Nathmar left Turnan on the ground, sobbing and broken. As he made his way to the gym, he couldn’t help but pray to whatever god was listening that Gruff and Jhison would make it through the night.
Notes:
To assuage any fears you may have, everyone is gonna live through this, but not unscarred. You don't walk into an active fire zone and walk away unscathed after all. Still though, this is simultaneously the longest and darkest chapter of the story and it's only made better that it's the first chapter I'm posting after crossing over 100 hits. Thank you guys for reading this for so long. I know the early chapters weren't the best, but it means a lot you guys are sticking around for each subsequent chapter and a hello to each new reader as well, I value each of you.
Alright that's enough sap. I wish you guys well and I'll see you next month.
Chapter 21: Chapter 21
Notes:
Hello hello, lovely to see you. Honestly not much to say this time other than the customary thank you to my DM for being a wonderful beta and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jhison groaned as he came back to consciousness. It had been roughly a week since the fire and he and Gruff were still being held in the hospital. Gruff had earned far worse scars than he had, but Jhison wasn’t in the best of shape either, earning himself burn marks along his legs all the way up to his thighs and along his forearms. Gruff had similar marks but the worst of it was on the shoulder he’d been told Gruff had used to break down two separate doors in the dormitory. Combined with the internal damage from falling down that last flight of stairs as well as the smoke that had entered freely through their lungs and the doctors had determined that neither of them would be leaving for at least another week. It wasn’t horrible though, they’d been granted visitors three days into their treatment where both Cassa and Kesta had chewed them out thoroughly for throwing themselves into danger like that. Said chewing out was followed by hugs and assurances that they were happy the pair had made it out relatively safe.
What wasn’t so happy were the police officers coming by to inform Jhison that the fire had been started in his dorm room. The officers took statements from both of them and gathered a list of potential suspects, before leaving and asking the pair to keep them informed should any more information come to light. While it was somewhat comforting their case was being taken seriously, the knowledge the fire wasn’t an accident set both of them somewhat on edge.
Jhison was broken from his reverie by the Half-Orc laying next to him, “You up?”
Jhison nodded, wincing slightly, still not used to the pain in his neck from the fall, “Yep. How long have you been up?”
Gruff shrugged with his good arm, the burned one was being held in place by a sling suspended from the ceiling, “Not long. No idea how long I’ve been out for either.”
Jhison scoffed, “When you’re in here long enough, time loses its meaning entirely. I’d know.”
Gruff looked toward him, “Oh really?”
Jhison nodded, “I’ve been to this hospital one other time and a psych ward nearby a couple others. Here was for a shooting accident that happened a few years ago. Gun jammed unexpectedly and left me and Kesta with a nasty pair of scars on our stomachs. Psych ward should be self explanatory.”
Gruff thought it over, “I remember coming here when Mom first got me for a checkup, but she never made me come back unless it was something serious so I haven’t had to stay this long before.”
Jhison chuckled, “Well welcome to the actual Nine Hells. Not as fire and brimstone as one might think unfortunately.”
Gruff responded with a chuckle of his own, “...Gods I’m bored. I’m not used to sitting still for so long.”
Jhison nodded, “I only somewhat am. Hospital visits are worse because I don’t have my usual entertainment options. Can’t exactly belt out musical tracks when it would disturb the other patients.”
Gruff smirked, “I mean you can…”
Jhison cut him off, “Yeah I’m not looking to get scolded by nurses either, their job is hard enough.”
Gruff leaned back to look up at the ceiling, “You know I would have thought Nathmar would have to come to visit at this point. Even Feru’ma has been by, even if it was to drop off missed assignments.”
Jhison bit his lip slightly in thought, “He might not have heard we could have visitors yet…no Kesta would have told him at minimum.”
Gruff smirked as he brought up Kesta, “I’m still laughing at how badly she chewed you out.”
Jhison groaned, “Please don’t remind me. How was I supposed to know they weren't the originals? She never told me.”
Gruff raised an eyebrow, “You didn’t see her do them?”
Jhison shook his head, “We weren’t living together back in Nestara and the days leading up to us coming here were pretty hectic so we didn’t do much together until the day of us leaving. I’d just assumed they were the originals because they looked so similar.”
Gruff nodded, “Still funny though. I didn’t get it nearly as bad.”
Jhison looked over, “You know for all the shouting, she never mentioned what was in that box of yours. Care to share?”
Gruff shrugged, “It’s the letters she and Dad would write me while they were out on the water or while I was here at school. I didn’t want to lose them…it’s one of the few things that I have from them while I’m here.”
Jhison nodded in understanding, “Can’t exactly blame you for wanting to save those. Seems like we’re both a couple of idiots wanting to save things that mean a lot to us.”
Gruff nodded, “Yyy-ep.”
The conversation came to a close as they heard a knock at the door. The pair turned to see Kesta standing there holding a stack of papers, “Sorry to interrupt.”
Jhison shook his head, “It’s fine. What’s that you have?”
Kesta crossed the room and took a seat between the beds the two were placed in, “The scripts were handed out today. Rehearsals are starting to get more serious, we’re expected to have the first few scenes memorized by the end of the week. Mr. Neverember asked me to give these to you.”
Jhison sighed as she placed one of the two scripts she had on his legs, “As if staying here weren’t bad enough, now I’m missing the scene rehearsals. I’d love to give whoever set our dorms on fire a piece of my mind.”
“What a coincidence, he’s right fucking here.”
All three heads turned to see Nathmar shoving a disgruntled Turnan into the room, a scowl present on the Shifters face. Turnan took a second to right himself, before trying to bolt out the door again. Nathmar grabbed his arm and threw him further into the room before shutting the door so the Human couldn’t escape.
Jhison turned to look at Nathmar, “Care to explain why this waste of human intelligence is here?”
Nathmar didn’t take his eyes off of Turnan, “Because said waste is the reason the dorms were set on fire and why I haven’t been to visit yet. Spent too long trying to track him down.”
Gruff fixed a hard look at Turnan, “What the fuck is he talking about?”
Turnan’s gaze flew around the room, clearly trying to see if he could find a way out of the conversation, before landing on the window. Kesta followed his eyes before shaking her head, “I wouldn’t try it; you wouldn’t survive the fall with how high we are.”
Nathmar just folded his arms, “That might be the coward's plan.”
Turnan just stayed silent, never taking his eyes off the window. Nathmar sighed before walking over to Turnan and grabbing him by the back of the head. Turnan tried to struggle, but it was in vain as he was forced to look at Gruff lying in the hospital bed. Nathmar brought his mouth close to Turnan’s ear, his voice scathing, “Tell him.”
Turnan realized any further resistance would be futile, so he opened his mouth, “I-I made a deal with someone I met who agreed to get rid of some blackmail Jhison had you.”
Gruff looked over at Jhison, his eyebrows furrowed, “You have blackmail on me?”
Jhison sighed, “No Gruff I don’t. This apparent arsonist thinks I do because you quote ‘Didn’t pound me into a bloody paste for hitting you with a door’. Apparently you not lashing out at me for a minor slight means I have blackmail on you.”
Nathmar spoke up again, “That’s not everything. Why don’t you go ahead and tell them who you made that deal with?”
Turnan tried to shrink away, but was held firm by Nathmar, “J-just a Firbolg who called himself Mr. Green.”
Nathmar turned to look at Gruff, “Aka, the fucker who stabbed you.”
Jhison balked, “Wow Turnan, I knew you were a fool, but going so far as to shake hands with a devil in an alleyway…that’s a new level of stupidity.”
Turnan’s expression grew furious, “Shut the fuck up you psychotic freak! This wouldn’t have happened if you’d just handed over the blackmail!”
Jhison sighed, “And I told you when you pounded me into the pavement that I possessed no such thing. What exactly could I have on him, hmm? His strength is all natural and the fights he gets into are campus gossip regardless. Unless he’s secretly in a relationship with a faculty member, there’s quite literally nothing I could have on him that wouldn't label me as the villain for having it. So go on, please inform us of what I could possess that would make your captain so ‘docile’.”
Turnan sputtered and started…but in the end he said nothing.
“Turnan.” Gruff voice made the room grow cold, “Do you remember what I said when you found me and Jhison that night?”
Turnan clearly did, but the fear of his captain’s anger kept him silent. Gruff spoke again, “I told you to drop it. So why am I hearing that you not only kept it going, but got the dorms set on fire for it?”
Turnan stuttered, “I-I di-didn’t-”
Gruff interrupted him by shouting, “I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT! You put everyone in that building in danger over something you were told to drop.”
He leveled Turnan with a stare that would have killed lesser men, “Get the fuck out of my sight. You’re no teammate of mine.”
Turnan looked like he’d just been sucker punched and as soon as Nathmar let him go he darted out the room.
Gruff turned to look at Nathmar, “Was anyone with him?”
Nathmar shook his head, “Grom and Atlas were, but they seemed to be tagalongs more than anything. I don’t think they knew anything about the deal Turnan made.”
Gruff nodded, “Then I have nothing to say to them.” he turned to Jhison, “Savah’s capable of letting everyone know about this right?”
Jhison nodded, Gruff nodded back, “I want his reputation destroyed. He’s a traitor to our team and the school. I don’t want to hear his name mentioned ever again.”
Jhison looked worried, “Far be it from me to defend him, but isn’t that a bit much?”
Gruff scowled, “He went against the team by ignoring what I said, far as I’m concerned he’s already dead. Don’t think I ignored what you said either, if he’s the one who beat you up then he doesn't deserve any kindness from me. You’re my teammate and I’ve always made it clear that no one messes with my teammates.”
Gruff turned to look at Nathmar, “How long have you known Turnan beat up Jhison?”
Nathmer winced, “Since day one. I was the one who stopped it. I didn’t tell you because I figured I might be able to get Turnan to drop it, even if he wouldn’t apologize.”
Gruff shook his head, “You don’t get to decide what I do and don't know. Turnan was a member of our team and I’m its captain. If he was acting out then it’s my responsibility to set him right. From now on, you know something, you tell me. Got it?”
Nathmar nodded, “Aye aye, Captain.”
Gruff smirked, “Fuck off.”
Nathmar sighed, “Now I’ve gotta go chase down a coward to get him to go to the cops. Fun times.”
Kesta stood up, “I’ll help you, that bastard needs to pay for what happened to my star charts.”
Nathmar nodded, “Always glad to have help.” He looked back at Gruff, “I’ll be by to visit more now that I don’t have to track down Turnan. Get better now, yeah? The team’s counting on you for the next meet.”
Gruff nodded, “I won’t let them down.”
Nathmar turned to look at Jhison, “That goes for you too. Rehearsals haven’t been the same without you.”
Jhison smirked, “Don’t worry, something like this won’t keep me down forever.” Nathmar nodded and walked out the door, Kesta following behind him.
Jhison let his head fall back against the pillow of the hospital bed, “Did you mean it?”
Gruff looked over at him, “What?”
Jhison closed his eyes, “You said I was your teammate, did you mean it?”
Gruff scoffed, “You know I don’t say shit I don’t mean. You’ve been helping me get ready for the show when you could have let me flounder for taking the part from you. My parents always taught me you don’t repay favors with daggers in the back. So, while I’m a part of the show, if you need me, call me.”
Jhison couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face, “And the same to you. I’m no good in a fight, but I have no desire to leave you hanging either.” Jhison yawned, “Today's events have left me quite tired. I think I’ll take a small nap.”
He heard Gruff nod, “You want me to wake you if someone comes by?”
Jhison nodded, “Please, this should only be a quick nap.”
Gruff nodded again, “Got it. Sleep well.”
Jhison nodded once more before letting the darkness of sleep overtake him.
------------
Nathmar led the proverbial charge out of the hospital, “So any ideas on where he might have run to?”
He turned to see Kesta with her phone out. She was texting someone and typing quite quickly, “What’s up?”
Kesta didn’t look up, “I’m killing two birds with one stone. I’m informing Savah of who was responsible for the dorms going up in flames and that we’re looking for him. With her backing our search he’ll be found before sundown unless he’s already skipped town.”
Nathmar was silent for a minute, “...have I mentioned before how Savah terrifies me?”
Kest chuckled as she finished what she was writing, “That’s most people’s reaction to how much information she holds. You can’t deny it isn’t useful though.”
Nathmar sighed, “I suppose not. So what should we do? Just start the hunt and hope we run into him?”
Kesta nodded, “I can’t say there’s a better plan than that honestly. Once Savah gets the word out it’ll only be a matter of time before he’s found. Might as well try to shorten the clock.”
Nathmar nodded, then pointed to the right, “Start this way?”
Kesta shrugged, “Sure, not like we have much else to go on.”
The pair started walking, keeping an eye out for anything that might suggest where Turnan had gone. They were silent for a few minutes before Nathmar broke it, “So I don’t think I ever got the story of how you two knew Turnan.”
Kesta’s expression soured slightly, “Not much to tell there honestly. He and his family were residents of the same town me and Jhison came from. I say ‘were’ because they were ousted years ago for trying to slander the Benevill name. They were convinced Jhison was going to go on a rampage and kill everyone when he was diagnosed so they tried everything they could think of to get the town to kick Jhison’s family out. They failed obviously because our town doesn’t take kindly to the many ‘-isms’ of the world. I knew he was going here because of his name being on your team's roster, but we’d been lucky enough to avoid a confrontation thus far.”
Nathmar let out a low whistle, “I’m surprised it took so long for the team to find out.”
Kesta shrugged, “If it makes you feel any better, I’m fairly certain he’s only like that with Jhison. Nestara was home to many individuals like Jhison, but for some reason Turnan’s family only targeted the Benevills. I don’t know if it was some perceived slight or if they were genuinely terrified of what Jhison might have been capable of, but they never held such biases towards anyone else while they were there.”
Nathmar sniffled slightly, “I mean that makes me feel a little better I guess, but it’s like by a sliver of a percentage point.”
Kesta chuckled, “Don’t beat yourself up too much. You’ve more than made up for any potential slight I could throw at you.”
Nathmar’s face scrunched up slightly, “Still.”
Kesta chuckled, “I get it. You’re wishing you could have stopped the event from happening entirely. I felt the same when Jhison and I earned matching scars on our stomachs.”
Nathmar’s eyes widened in surprise, “Wait what? What happened there? How have I not seen these yet?”
Kesta laughed a little, “The power of wearing undershirts. The scars aren’t exactly pretty so we prefer to keep them hidden. An extra layer of clothing does wonders. As for how we earned them, that would be due to a misfire from a gun Jhison was teaching me to shoot while we were at the shooting range for his eighteenth birthday. It was my fault, I distracted him while he was trying to show me how to load the gun properly and a bullet got misaligned in the magazine. Other than the scars, we came out relatively unscathed.”
Nathmar let out another whistle, “You two certainly have a lot of traumatic history don’t you?”
Kesta laughed again, “We’re aspiring to be the next tragic story couple. Just that pair that lives on through the pure ‘that shit happened and they still made a relationship work’ kind of story telling. If we don’t get a musical about us, I’ll be very disappointed in the afterlife.”
Nathmar laughed at that, “I think you might need to reign in your expectations there hun. I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you curse, by the way.”
Kesta shrugged, “Not surprising. I don’t curse very often. I find holding back often means when I do curse, it holds more impact. You should have been there the day I chewed out Vernon von Rapture for triggering Jhison. I think a few people were going to pass out just from my language alone.”
Nathmar laughed again, “You take your role as club mom seriously, don’t you?”
Kesta grimaced, “Only in big moments I admit. This wasn’t a role I really wanted, I just happened to adopt it since I was such a frequent visitor of the club and happened to be dating the star performer.”
Nathmar suddenly remembered something, “Speaking of which…you said fiance to Ms. Wildwood last week when she wouldn’t let you near Jhison didn’t you? Which one is it?”
Kesta flushed, evidently she hadn’t known she was overheard, “...Fiance. That ring he’s wearing isn’t a promise ring like everyone thinks it is. I proposed to him our freshmen year. We just didn’t tell anyone because we didn’t want any real attention on it. We plan to get married once we both graduate, but when you go through as many brushes with death as we do…you do what you can to show your partner you want to be with them no matter what.”
Nathmar nodded solemnly, “Yeah…I get that. I don’t know if I’m on that level with Folgrand yet…but I get wanting to make sure the people you love know it when things start getting tough.”
Kesta smiled, “I’m glad. Please don’t tell anyone though, it’s been hard enough to keep this a secret with Savah around.”
Nathmar held up a hand, “You have my word Mrs. Benevill.”
Kesta playfully smacked him, “How dare you? I only plan to take that name when we finish tying the knot.”
Nathmar raised an eyebrow, “Oh, he won’t take yours even though you proposed?”
Kesta shrugged, “It’s not that he refuses, I just want to have his name as my own. I can’t really explain it, but it just feels wrong whenever I think about him taking my name or doing the whole ‘keep your maiden name even though you’re married’ thing. Besides, Kesta Benevill has a certain ring to it, does it not?”
Nathmar nodded, “I can’t say it doesn’t. Besides if you ever pulled like a whole super villain thing you could be like, ‘When did I turn evil? Bitch, I’ve Benevill’.”
Kesta laughed hard at that, “Oh that’s a good one. I’ll have to tell Jhison about it later.”
She was interrupted by her phone notifying her of a text. She quickly pulled it out and read the message she received, nodding once she finished reading it, “We’ve found him. He’s back at school. Seems like he tried packing a bag of what didn’t burn and skipping town. He got caught by a member of campus security who’d been keeping people out while they were rebuilding.”
Nathmar nodded, “Alright then…let’s go collect a coward.”
Notes:
Dun dun dahhhhhh! ...look I couldn't do it in the chapter itself so this will have to do, lol. Fun times ahead what with all the arson and betrayal. But that's in the future, for now I'll say thank you for reading and I'll see you next month.
Chapter 22: Chapter 22
Notes:
Greetings. Lovely to see you all at the start of this new year. Hopefully it won't be too bad. But enough about IRL, let's get to the terrible HSM rip-off's.
Customary thanks to my DM for beta-ing the chapter, and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
‘Gotta get out. Once I get home everything’ll be fine. Just gotta get out.’
This was all Turnan could think as he made his way off of campus, head down and a hood up over his head. He’d hoped to have made it off without being recognized at all, but it seemed campus security was more on edge than they usually were and he got stopped briefly by one of them. He just sprinted past them though, he didn’t want to be here when someone who knew what he’d done found him.
‘It’s that fucking Firbolg’s fault I’m even having to run. All I wanted was the fucking blackmail gone, not the dorms set on fucking fire. Now I’m on the fucking run from my own team.’
A car passed by him and Turnan froze, worried someone he knew had found him. He breathed a small sigh of relief when it continued down the road, ‘Great, now I’m jumping at random fucking cars. As if today couldn’t get any worse.’
“You know, I understand skipping town after a job gone wrong,” Turnan felt a firm hand on his shoulder, “But not following through on a deal is a bit of a ‘no-no’ with me there boy.”
Turnan shoved the hand of his shoulder and quickly turned to see Mr. Green looking down at him, a small smirk on his face.
Turnan snarled, “What the hell are you doing here?”
Mr. Green chuckled, “Seems like you don’t listen very well. I’m here to make sure you don’t skip out on your part of the bargain. Don’t forget, you still owe me a favor for getting rid of that blackmail.”
Turnan’s face grew angrier, “Go fuck yourself. You set the dorms on fire and now everyone knows I’m involved in it. I’m done with you.”
Mr. Green sighed. “I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this.”
Before Trunan could register that someone was behind him, a cloth was put over his mouth and he soon felt himself grow drowsy. He heard one more thing before passing out, “We’ll take care of you, don’t worry.”
------------
Nathmar was growing worried. It had only been a few minutes since Kesta and him had arrived back at campus after receiving word of Turnan’s location, but the pair couldn’t find hide nor hair of him. They followed the path he’d most likely taken off campus, but any trace of him had seemingly vanished.
Nathmar cursed under his breath when the most recent path they took resulted in another dead end, “Where the hell is he? There’s no way he’s this fast.”
Kesta seemed worried as well if her biting her thumbnail was any indication, “I’m not sure. I haven’t heard anything about him getting any further than campus either so he must still be in the area. Savah’s got connections with everyone in the vicinity, so if she sent the word out then we should be able to find him.”
Nathmar grumbled, “Then where could that coward have gone?”
Kesta shook her head, “I have no idea. I think we’re going to have to regroup. Let’s head to Savah’s new dorm. At least if we’re with her we’ll get the news of where he is when she does.”
Nathmar nodded and the two began to head towards the temporary lodging the school had provided students after the fire. The was roughly the same size, but the rooms themselves were slightly bigger and had better furnishings. It took the pair roughly twenty minutes to make their way there and in that time Kesta hadn’t heard any new news.
Kesta was looking at her phone as they walked through the entrance of the building, Nathmar holding the door open for her, “Thank you.”
Nathmar nodded, “It’s nothing. Still nothing from Savah?”
Kesta shook her head, “No, but I was more checking to see if anything new was happening with Jhison.”
Nathmar smiled slightly, “Pretty sure nothing’s gonna happen. They already made it through the worst of it. It’s just recovery at this point right?”
Kesta nodded, putting away her phone, “You’re right, but that doesn't absolve me of worry either. This is the biggest incident he’s been involved in since he was eighteen; I can’t help it.”
Nathmar shook his head, “Can’t say I don’t get it. Gruff’s gotten himself into plenty of scrapes, but this one’s definitely got me on edge.”
Kesta looked at him, “You care a lot about him don’t you?”
Nathmar nodded, smiling fondly, “Oh yeah. When we first met I didn’t think we’d get along at all since he’s way more chaotic and impulsive than I am, but when I saw how willing he was to get along with the rest of us for the sake of the team, I knew he was someone I wanted to keep close.”
Kesta stopped walking and just looked at him, which caused him to stop as well, “What? Something wrong?”
Kesta looked him over before smirking, “You’ve got a crush on him don’t you?”
Nathmar blushed and started sputtering, “Wh-what?”
Kesta lightly laughed at his reaction, “The affection in your words, it wasn’t just friendship. Now I don’t think it overpowers what you feel for your boyfriend, but there’s definitely something there.”
Nathmar sputtered a bit more before sighing, “You’re gonna be a really good mom, you pick up on a lot.”
Kesta faux curtsied and giggled, “Thank you.”
Nathmar sighed again, “You’re not wrong. But I don’t think he sees me like that. I’m okay with that though, Folgrand’s really special. Even if Gruff decided he did want to get together, I think I’d still pick Folgrand. The sun just seems to shine a little brighter when I’m with him.”
Kesta smiled, “I’m glad to hear that. Now we should keep going, don’t want Turnan to get too far.”
Nathmar’s expression turned serious again, “Right.”
Reason renewed, the pair finished the quick trip to Savah’s dorm room. They only needed to knock once before Savah opened the door, clearly not in the best of moods, “Come in.”
The two quickly entered the room and Nathmar took a second to take in his surroundings. At first glance the room seemed fairly simple; a cloth sofa, an oak coffee table and fairly large TV, but Nathmar was floored once he saw what was covering the walls. Every wall that didn’t have a window was covered with a bulletin board with dozens of papers covering them. It looked like the suspect boards Nathmar saw in secret agent shows with all the redlines connecting to something else, whether it was another board nearby or just another paper on the same one.
Savah saw him gawking and smirked, “Ah right, I’d forgotten you’d never seen my web of information. Well welcome, you’re the first jock to glance upon the beauty of my Snake Pit.”
Nathmar was at a near loss for words, “What is on all of these things?”
Savah chuckled, “Everything I need to pull favors and force people to fall in line. If I have dirt on you, then it’s placed on a board. I’ve got something on almost everyone in the city and even if I don’t have something now, with all my contacts it won’t take long for me to get something on you.”
Nathmar gulped audibly, “I don’t think I’ve been giving you the proper amount of fear.”
Savah laughed, “Oh there’s no reason to fear me…as long as you stay on my good side that is. Speaking of which…still no news on the arsonist.”
Kesta’s brow furrowed, “That’s not possible. You can find anyone can’t you?”
Savah shook her head, “I only have so many eyes who can report back. I at least know he hasn’t left the city because none of those contacts have notified me yet. But for no one to report on his whereabouts for this long is frustrating. I don’t know how he’s avoiding my sight.”
Nathmar had recovered from the shock of the boards at this point, “Is there any chance he might have gotten help from the guy he made a deal with?”
Savah seemed to think it over, “I can only think of a few people who’d have the network to do that. Any chance you can hand over a name?”
Nathmar nodded, “It’s the same guy who stabbed Gruff when we went to The Siren’s Lair; Mr. Green.”
Savah didn’t seem to like that answer, “That’s not good. He’s a bit of an anomaly. He’s a recent addition to the crime circuit around town and his associates aren’t well known yet, at least not for me.”
Kesta’s face fell, “Does that mean we can’t find him?”
Savah shook her head, but her expression didn’t change, “No…but I’m going to be forced to call in a contact who’s not gonna give up the info easily.”
Nathmar looked confused, “Who is it?”
Savah sighed, “My brother, Savag.”
------------
Turnan didn’t know how long he’d been out for. All he knew was that there was something over his head and he was tied to a chair. Once he felt the rope binding his hands he started squirming around, but was quickly stopped when he felt something solid hit him across the face.
He heard Mr. Green’s voice, “Don’t struggle so much boy. It’ll be less painful for you that way. Now, let’s get this bag off your head.”
Turnan’s eyes had trouble adjusting as the bag was quickly removed and a light started shining directly into them. Once they fully adjusted he saw he was in a warehouse surrounded by crates and heavy machinery. Mr. Green was standing in front of him with around six others standing nearby leaning against the crates. Mr. Green had taken off the green suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of the undershirt and stood with a metal bat taking the place of a cane.
Mr. Green smiled, “Welcome back to the waking world boy. Sorry we had to be so rough with you, but I had a feeling you wouldn’t come with us willingly, even though we have quite a bit to discuss.”
Despite the situation, Turnan could only feel anger, “We’ve got nothing to talk about. The deal’s fucking off. You burned down the dorm rooms-”
Mr. Green cut him off, “To destroy the blackmail you were so worried about. And does the blackmail exist anymore?”
Turnan glared, “Fuck off.”
Mr. Green smirked, “I’ll take that as a no then. So if my part of the deal was maintained, why exactly should I let you back out without fulfilling yours?”
Turnan’s anger didn’t dim at all, “Because you took it too far you sick fuck. Because of you, I’m on the run from my own team and I’m pretty sure the cops too. I thought you’d just break in to the freak’s dorm and just wreck the place, not set it on fucking fire.”
Mr. Green ‘tut’ed, “Maybe that’ll teach you to lay out your terms a bit more before making a deal. Had you said so I would have been more than happy to tell my associate to take the subtle route. I just figured this way would be the quickest and inform you immediately of the job’s success.”
Turnan tried to jump out of the chair, “Don’t pin this on me!”
Mr. Green raised an eyebrow, “Why ever not? You’re the one who was unsatisfied with the situation you found yourself in. How is it my fault you weren’t clear in how you wanted things handled? I’m just the tool you used to get back at an enemy of yours. If anything I should be the angry one since you’re trying to back out of our deal.”
Mr. Green moved closer, “But I’m not. Because I know a man with such devotion to his team wouldn’t dare to back out on a deal, right Skold?”
Turnan’s entire body turned cold when he heard the name, “H-how do you know that name?”
Mr. Green laughed, “Oh come now boy, did you really think I approached you out of nowhere? I don’t like it when I’m humiliated by others, so I decided to do a little digging on that oaf you call a captain. Once I knew where he was I just had to find a way to get to him. And the perfect route just so happened to fall right into my lap.”
Turnan started to feel fear creep in, “Wait, so you just used me to get to Gruff?”
Mr. Green applauded mockingly, “Brilliant deduction there boy.” He turned to the others, “Sharp one isn’t he?” The goon started laughing and Mr. Green turned back to Turnan, “Yes boy. You were just a stepping stone to getting back at the oaf. Now,” Mr. Green swung the bat onto his shoulder, “You have two options here. You can either fulfill your part of the bargain willingly, or I can introduce your shins to fast moving metal. Which will it be?”
Turnan felt indignation and rebellion flourish in his body, “I’ll never do your dirty work. Even if he doesn't care about me anymore, Gruff’s still my cap-”
Turnan was cut off by the pain he felt as Mr. Green swung the bat into his shins as promised. His body immediately went into fight or flight mode, but with him tied down he could only flail around as Mr. Green got ready to swing again, “This ends when you say you’ll help me boy.”
Despite the pain, Turnan growled back, “Never.”
Mr. Green ‘tut’ed again, “Let’s see how long that lasts for.”
------------
When Savah said she was going to contact her brother, he hadn’t expected her to lead them to The Siren’s Lair. Currently he and Kesta were standing near the entrance while Savah was talking to the bartender from the night the club attended.
Nathmar looked over to Kesta, “So why is her calling on her brother such a big deal?”
Kesta looked back at him, “Because supposedly they cut all contact after a private incident between the two of them years back. No one has heard a word about him since.”
Nathmar nodded, “So this must be a pretty big deal if she’s trying to reach out to a ghost.”
Kesta nodded, “Incredibly.”
The conversation died out from there and the two just waited in silence for Savah to finish with her conversation. They didn’t have to wait long as they saw Lucky slip her a piece of paper before she made her way back to them.
Savah motioned for them to follow her out the door, “I know where he is, let’s go.”
The two remained silent as they followed behind her. She led them down an alleyway that was nearby and after a few minutes of walking they came to a run down apartment building.
Kesta looked up at it, “He’s there then?”
Savah nodded, before letting out a shuddering breath, “Yep…I don’t know if I’m ready to see him though.”
Nathmar looked over to her, “Do you want us to go in then? If it’ll be too much for you we can get the info.”
Savah shook her head, “He wouldn’t give it up to you without me there. If anything, you might not make it back out if you go without me. I have every confidence he’d kill you just for asking around about things you shouldn’t.”
Nathmar’s eyes widened, “Wait what?”
Savah shook her head, “Not now. Let’s go, before I lose my nerve.”
Savah didn’t wait for an answer before entering the building and immediately heading for the stairs. It was all Nathmar and Kesta could do just to keep up with her as she quickly made her way through the halls. After a few minutes of moving though stairs and hallways Savah slowed down before coming to a stop in front of a door. She didn’t move for a minute before raising her hand and doing what seemed to be a special knock. There was silence for longer than Nathmar felt comfortable with but right before he could say something, the knock was returned. Savah responded by doing the knock again and this time it resulted in the door opening a bit.
Nathmar couldn’t see anything, but he heard a voice come from behind the door, “Why are you here, sister?”
Savah let out a quick laugh, “So we’re still family then? I wouldn’t know since you haven’t bothered to reach out since we last spoke.”
Savag, Nathmar presumed, spoke again, “If half thought out insults were all you cared to levy at me, then you wouldn’t have talked to Lucky. Tell me what you need or the conversation ends here.”
Savah let out a shaky laugh, “Always down to business. Fine then, I need info on someone and my contacts are too above ground to get me it.”
Savag laughed, “So the queen of the Snake Pit needs help from a lowly little serpent. Never thought I’d see the day.”
Savah scowled, “Save it edgelord, can you help me or not?”
Nathmar assumed Savag shrugged before replying, “That depends: who are you trying to get info on?”
Savah looked nervous, “The new guy; Mr. Green.”
Nathmar was surprised as the door flung open and revealed a scared looking Yuan-ti entirely encased in black clothing, “Get in. Quickly.”
Savah didn’t waste any time before grabbing the other two and dragging them inside. Nathmar felt disoriented as he entered the shabby apartment. Taking a second to get his bearings, he noticed the room had boards very similar to Savah, but they were smaller and didn’t have as much information on them. The Yuan-ti in question had the same dark skin of his sister, but his piercings included a nose ring and he had several tattoos made to look like snake scales.
Said Yuan-ti was nervously moving around the apartment after closing the door and locking it, “You weren’t followed were you?”
Savah scoffed, “Please, I’m not that out of practice.”
Savag looked over to her, “Does he have any reason to believe you might be looking into him?”
Savah shook her head, “He shouldn’t, I haven’t needed to as of yet. The only reason we need to find him is because he might have snatched up an asshole we’re trying to get our hands on.”
Savag looked directly at her, “Sister, I mean this with every amount of sincerity I can muster: let this one go.”
Savah looked incredulous, “Why? He’s just a new face isn’t he?”
Savag shook his head, “A new face that took down other circuits way faster than he should have been able to. I’ve been keeping my ear close to the ground and he’s making moves that shouldn’t be possible for how new a face he is. Even my people are starting to get anxious about him.”
Savah’s expression turned scared, “What about father? He’s not worried is he?”
Savag shook his head, “No, but he’s been busy as of late. I’m certain if his attention wasn’t being pulled away he would be. The speed at which Mr. Green has taken over his district is too quick for father not to.”
Savah started pacing herself, “So he’s better than we thought.”
Savag nodded, “Much better. He’s crafty and strikes at every weak point in a circuit’s operation. If your target is in his clutches, it’s best to just forget about him.”
Savah shook her head, “I can’t, especially now. If he’s in league with someone like that, we have to get him. He’d be useful to the rest of us in bringing Mr. Green back in line.”
Savag moved faster than Nathmar could track and grabbed his sister by the shoulders, “You imbecile! If you’re having to come to me for information then you’re nowhere near prepared for the battle you’d have to wage to get your target back. All of his compounds are protected, I’ve never even seen the inside of one of them because of how locked down they are. If you have any care for your safety you will leave this alone.”
Savah surprised Nathmar by easily breaking out of Savag’s hold, “That asshole put my friends in danger by making a deal he shouldn’t have. One of them’s in the hospital now because of it, so pardon me if I’m not feeling in the ‘run and hide’ mood brother.”
Savag laughed, “Oh so now you’re not afraid to charge in headfirst.”
Savah glared at her brother, “Don’t you dare bring that up now. You wanna fight it out fine, but not in front of people who have no place in our world.”
Savag laughed again, “Sister dear, you’ve already shown it to them by bringing them here. Or did you think they’d just forget what they’ve seen and heard after they left? Whether you like it or not, our world has taken notice of them because of your association with them. You’ve put them in danger by giving them even a small glimpse of it, it’s far too late to take it back now.”
Savah seemed to get angry at that, but it seemed to be at the fact Savag was right, “Okay, fine. You’re right. They still have no right to family business.”
Savag rolled his eyes, “Seems your need to control who knows what hasn’t gone away with time sister.”
Savah raised an eyebrow, “You know as well as I do the power information has in our world. That lesson never escaped me just because I wanted out.”
Savag sighed, “Fine then. *sigh* I can inform you of where his nearest compound is in relation to his last known location, but nothing more. You’re on your own for extraction.”
Savah bowed mockingly, “Thank you, oh wise informant.”
Savag scowled, “Keep that up and see if I ever allow contact again.”
Savah rolled her eyes, then looked over to Kesta and Nathmar, “You guys go ahead, I’ll get the info and meet you outside.”
Nathmar nodded, then moved towards the door with Kesta following behind him. They quickly made their way out and did their best to remember how to get to the entrance.
------------
Savah sighed wearily as the door shut behind Nathmar and Kesta, “You really haven’t changed have you Savag?”
Savag smirked, “I could say the same to you sister. Now, the location?”
Savah sighed again, “His last known location was the outskirts of Waterdeep University. He was reported to be carrying a bag and wearing unassuming clothing.”
Savag rolled his eyes, “Like every one who thinks they can escape one of us.”
Savah scowled, “I didn’t ask for sass, I asked for a location.”
Savag chuckled, “There’s a warehouse near the school registered for supplies the school doesn't keep on campus. It’s one of the more recently claimed locations Mr. Green has taken. I’d say start the search there.”
Savah nodded, “Thank you Savag. I’ll leave you alone now.”
Savah turned towards the door, but as she placed her hand on the doorknob she heard Savag’s voice, “You know sister…it was nice to see you again after so long.”
Savah turned back towards Savah and a sad smile appeared on her face, “...I miss you too. How long until the job’s over?”
Savag shook his head, “Not for another few years at least. It would go by faster if you were helping.”
Savah shook her head, “I left because I couldn’t keep going Savag. What we do is too much for me…I’m not as strong as you when it comes to our world.”
Savag shook his head in return, “You sell yourself short sister…but I respect your decision.”
Savah turned back towards the door, “...don’t be a stranger…brother.”
She didn’t look back to see his expression as she left the apartment.
Notes:
I hope you didn't think Savah's backstory wasn't going to get covered outside Karaoke time. If there's one thing I respect in writing, it's Chekov's gun, lol. But with that out of the way I wish you all a pleasant rest of your day. Hope to see you next month as well.
Chapter 23: Chapter 23
Notes:
Greetings and Salutations. I hope everyone is doing well as we enter this new month (and that those patiently awaiting the on sale chocolates can hold on until after Valentines lol). Not much housekeeping for this one, just the customary thank you to my DM and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Nathmar felt restless as he and Kesta left Savah’s dorm room, “I know we can’t exactly act right now, but knowing Turnan is with those fuckers that stabbed Gruff has got me feeling antsy.”
Kesta sighed, “I can’t say I disagree, but Savah was quite insistent we needed to wait. She’s often right when it doesn't involve criminal activities, so something tells me she’s right here as well.”
Nathmar turned to Kesta, “Did you guys know about...any of that, by the way?”
Kesta shook her head, “Oh hellfire no. The Snake Pit was common knowledge amongst the club because she’d threaten all of us with it if we started getting out of hand, but her being part of a crime family? Entirely new information.”
Nathmar chuckled, “Dear gods that girl is scary.”
Kesta chuckled as well, “Zarra can never find out about this. She might propose on the spot.”
Nathmar raised an eyebrow, “Who?”
Kesta waved him off, “Honorary club member. Has a list a mile long of school infractions and seems to be actively attracted to danger. Only reason she hasn’t been kicked out yet is because she has the highest recruitment rate amongst the students.”
Nathmar chuckled again while shaking his head, “Crazy group I’ve found myself in, huh?”
Kesta looked over to him, “Would you trade us in for normalcy though?”
Nathmar let out a bark, “Hellfire no. I’m starting to see why Therima’s so Drama hungry, this shit is awesome. Going back to just wrestling is gonna be so boring.”
Kesta laughed, shaking her head, “You’re more than welcome to audition again…or have you dropped that lie yet?”
Nathmar’s face fell into a smirk, “I take it no one believes it?”
Kesta smirked, “Nope. It was clever I’ll give you that, anyone outside the club would have believed you, but you’ve got too much in favor of ‘special exception because of Gruff’. Plus, no offense, your singing voice isn’t up to par.”
Nathmar put a hand to his chest and gasped in mock offense, “How could you? My dreams of performing on stage are now dashed because of your cruel words.”
Kesta snickered, “Well at least you’re as dramatic as the rest of us. Don’t worry though, no one’s going to call you on it, just know no one believes it.”
Nathmar let his hand fall, “Is what it is then. I really just said that because I didn’t want anyone to think Gruff was in trouble.” He was quiet for a minute while he stretched his arms over his head, “I have no idea what I’m gonna do for the rest of the day. It feels like trying to do anything approaching normal right now would feel weird.”
Kesta shrugged, “Well I wish you luck in figuring it out. I’m going back to the hospital.”
Nathmar raised an eyebrow and smirked, “You know some would say that you crowding him like this would be a sign of codependency.”
Kesta scoffed, “Then they can shut the fuck up.” Nathmar couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped at that, “When their partner’s the one in the hospital because of an arsonist, they can tell me all they want that my crowding him is a bad thing. Until then, I’m going to go see my fiancé.”
Nathmar let out another small chuckle as Kesta broke away from him and started on her path to Jhison. His smirk grew into a small smile as he watched her, ‘At least no one can say they don’t love each other.’ He looked up at the sky, ‘...maybe I should go see Folgrand. Today seems like the kind of day to let him know how much he means to me.’
Decision made, Nathmar started towards campus. While he didn’t have Folgrand’s schedule fully memorized yet, he knew his boyfriend had a yoga class right around now. If he was lucky he’d be able to get there before it let out. The class was held in the campus gym, so he knew a few shortcuts that would get him there a little faster as well. Feeling his resolve rising, he started jogging to make sure he got there to surprise his boyfriend.
His efforts were rewarded as he approached the gym, not seeing anyone leaving it. Quietly entering the building, Nathmar began to scan the area for any sign of his boyfriend or the class he was in. He didn’t see anything after that quick glance and began to look around the gym, hoping to find it quickly.
It must have been obvious he was lost, because he heard someone call out to him after a minute of no luck, “Excuse me, can I help you find something?”
Nathmar turned to see a Drow with short white hair, and piercings lining his ears. Nathmar let out a nervous chuckle, “If you wouldn’t mind. I’m looking for a yoga class my boyfriend’s in. I only use this place for the machines so I’m a bit lost on where the classes might be.”
The Drow nodded, “I would be happy to help. Do you know the instructor’s name?”
Nathmar thought on it for a minute, “I…think it was Ms. Blymah? I only ever ask him how the class went, if he mentioned the instructor it was in one ear and out the other.”
The Drow chuckled, “At least you said an actual name. You’re in luck besides, I think she has a class going on right now.”
Nathmar signed in relief, “Oh thank gods. Thank you so much Mr…”
The Drow smiled, starting to walk towards another section of the gym, “Baenrae. And if my memory serves, you’re Nathmar Romere of the Wrestling Club, correct?”
Nathmar nodded, following behind, “Yeah that’s me. Thanks for the help.”
Mr. Baenrae waved him off, “Think nothing of it. It’s the duty of a teacher to help a lost student.”
The conversation died there and the two fell into silence as Mr. Baenrae led Nathmar to where a few rooms had been sectioned off to allow for private classes to be held. Nathamr looked through the windows that looked inside each room as they passed it before stopping once he saw the familiar sight of Folgrand’s shoulder length hair tied up in a low ponytail.
Mr. Baenrae followed his eyes, “Seems you’ve found him. Just in time too, I think the class is about to let out.”
Nathmar looked back to Mr. Baenrae, “Thanks for helping me.”
The Drow held up a hand, “Like I said think nothing of it. I’ll be returning to my workout now. Have a good night.”
Nathmar waved farewell to Mr. Baenrae before leaning against the wall opposite the gym room watching as everyone inside started to collect their things. Folgrand seemed to take his time leaving, conversing with a lot of the other attendees, a smile present on his face. Seeing that made Nathmar’s heart warm. If there was one thing he could always say he loved about Folgrand, it was his smile that seemed to shine like the sun.
Nathmar pushed himself off the wall as Folgrand left the room, seeming not to have noticed him yet, “Dang, and here I thought I’d be nice and surprise you, just for you to ignore me.”
Folgrand did a small double take at hearing Nathmar’s voice, but when his eyes landed on the wrestler that smile seemed to get a little brighter, “What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you, but I figured you’d have a club meeting.”
Nathmar shrugged, “I did, but I had to blow it off today. Figured I’d come see you instead”
Folgrand leaned in to give Nathmar a kiss on the cheek, “Well this is a lovely surprise. It’s always a good day to see you.”
Nathmar felt his heart get a little warmer, “Likewise. Although I can’t say I was entirely selfless here, you look really good in those shorts.”
Folgrand lightly smacked Nathmar on the shoulder, a light blush beginning to dust his face, “Scamp.”
Nathmar laughed, “Your scamp.”
Folgrand’s face fell into a smile again, “Mine indeed. So how’s Gruff doing? Did you finally go see him?”
Nathmar nodded as he began walking towards the exit, “He seems to be doing okay. He got burned pretty bad going after whatever was in the dorms, but he’s got a roomie in the club’s star performer.”
Folgrand followed looking a little worried, “I thought those two didn’t get along?”
Nathmar shook his head, “I think they’re on ‘mutual respect’ territory these days since Jhison is helping Gruff get ready for the play. Speaking of which, you planning on coming?”
Folgrand grimaced slightly, “I’m not sure yet. Still too many things up in the air. But you’ll be the first one to know if I can make it.”
Nathmar placed a light hand on Folgrand’s shoulder, “Don’t worry too much about it if you can’t make it. I’m just in the background so it’s no big deal if you have to put something else first.”
Folgrand shook his head, “Trust me, you could just be stage tech and I’d want to be there to support you. Just a little too much on my plate right now to give you a solid answer.”
Nathmar smiled, “Alright then. So, dinner at my place or yours?”
Folgrand thought it over, “Mine. I’ve been working on a new recipe and I want you to help me taste test.”
Nathmar let a wicked smirk grow on his face, “Well you know how much I love eating whatever you put in front of me.”
Folgrand smirked at the attempt at flustering him, “You really need to stop trying to get one over on me. You’re the bottom in this relationship, just accept it.”
Nathmar laughed, “Hey, at least give me a chance to add ‘power’ to the title.”
Folgrand lightly booped him on the nose, his smile looking a little more like a smirk, “Never,” he grabbed Nathmar’s hand, interlocking their fingers, “Now let’s get going. Dinner’s not going to make itself.”
------------
Kesta sighed as she left the hospital, the sun beginning to set. She never enjoyed having to leave Jhison alone in a hospital. While she knew the anger would likely never trigger there, not being able to help shut it down if it did often left her on edge. Though that fear paled in comparison to the loneliness she knew she’d feel once she got to their new dorm. Since he hadn’t been to it yet, it was devoid of any touch of him and not having him with her in any way made her feel…empty.
Kesta chuckled to herself, “Maybe Nathmar was right on that codependency theory.”
She put it out of her mind for now. She had other things to worry about, like the fact that Turnan had apparently made alliances with someone who had it out for Gruff. While she didn’t know the specifics, from what Savah and Savag were saying back at Savag’s hideout she could guess that Mr. Green was more of an issue than she had thought. When he’d attacked Gruff that night at The Siren’s Lair, she’d assumed he’d been some two-bit thug trying to get a bit of payback. Finding out he was the leader of a quickly growing crime gang that flourished under the surface of the town was something she’d never thought she’d hear.
Kesta began to mutter under her breath, “How have things gotten so chaotic? Just a month ago my biggest worry was how I was going to overcome my stage fright so I could perform with Jhison, yet finding all of this out makes that seem like such a small thing to fear.”
“Kesta?”
Kesta looked up at the sound of her name to see a familiar head of blond hair, “Oh, Lu’nafi. It’s been a minute hasn’t it?”
The elf nodded, “Indeed, I don’t think I’ve seen you since you left Fa’lana in charge of the club.”
Kesta felt a touch of shame at hearing that, “How are things going in the club by the way? Rehearsals have unfortunately left me out of the loop.”
Lu’nafi shrugged, “Same old, same old really. We’ve got a small trip planned to go out to our usual spot for stargazing, but nothing besides that. How are things on your end? I’ve heard through the grapevine Jhison got hurt pretty bad in the fire.”
Kesta nodded, “He did. He was trying to save some copies I made of my star charts, thinking they were the originals.” She chuckled humorlessly, “Never let it be said he won’t go through fire and flames to try and help me.”
Lu’nafi winced slightly, “I feel like I should be concerned about your word choice there. Especially since you aren’t one for dark humor.”
Kesta shook her head, “Just a lot on my mind. With Jhison in the hospital and no real leads on what happened, it’s just a sorrowful time.”
Lu’nafi raised an eyebrow, “Pardon me, but I heard from that same grapevine that there was a prime suspect in Turnan. Did something change that?”
Ketsa grimaced slightly, “I…don’t know if I can really say.”
Lu’nafi looked at the horizon, then back at Kesta, “Come on. I’m assuming you don’t want to be alone right now?”
Kesta nodded, then began to follow behind Lu’nafi as the elf made her way towards the dorms. They walked in silence, though whether that was because neither had anything to say or because Lu’nafi was giving her space Kesta couldn’t tell. It didn’t take long for them to reach Lu’nafi’s dorm room, the elf unlocking the door and opening it wide enough so both could go through. However, whatever tense silence existed between the two was broken as Lu’nafi began to shriek at the image of a pale white changeling looking fresh out of the shower with a towel around her neck…and nothing else.
Kesta quickly covered her eyes as Lu’nafi began to shout at the offending figure, “Media Luna, how many times have I told you to not walk around the dorm naked?”
Kesta could only hear the response from the changeling, “I stopped counting after it got past ten. Besides, it’s not like you haven’t seen...ah.”
Kesta assumed the changeling had just noticed her presence and could only imagine the look Lu’nafi was giving them, “Yes, ‘ah’. This is why I tell you not to do that, because either me or Feru’ma could be entertaining company and the last thing they need to see is you streaking.”
Kesta didn’t know for sure, but if she were a betting girl, “I mean at least it’s a good view…right?” There it was.
The way Lu’nafi sighed reminded her of the many times she had to wrangle in a club member during rehearsals, “Clothes…now. And you’re helping me make the tea.”
Kesta could hear the changeling wine, but also heard footsteps so she assumed the order was being followed. She didn’t uncover her eyes until she heard a door close, assuming the changeling was now at least where she couldn’t be seen.
Lu’nafi sighed, “I apologize for her, my girlfriend has no real sense of modesty.”
Kesta waved the comment away, “It’s no trouble.”
Lu’nafi gestured towards one of the couches in the common area, “Please have a seat, I’ll make us some tea. Do you have a preferred flavor?”
Kesta shook her head, “Not much of a tea drinker so I’m fine with whatever you want to make.”
Lu’nafi nodded then began to make her way to the kitchen, Kesta moving towards the offered couch. The changeling from earlier came out not long after, clothed this time, and made her way over to Lu’nafi.
Kesta seized the moment to keep the conversation light, “So Lu’nafi, I don’t recall you ever mentioning a girlfriend before.”
The changeling laughed, “Damn, if I had a nickel for everytime I heard one of my girlfriends hadn’t mentioned me to someone they knew, I’d have at least two nickels now.”
Lu’nafi glared at the changeling, “Maybe we’d be more likely to mention you if you didn’t go out of your way to embarrass us.”
The changeling held a hand to her chest in mock offense, “But then how would I get to see your flustered faces without-”
Lu’nafi cut her off, “Finish that sentence how I think you will and there will be none of that for at least a week.”
The changeling grumbled, “Spoilsport.”
Lu’nafi rolled her eyes, before looking back at Kesta, “I’m not one to bring up my personal life in general. If it comes up, it comes up, but I’m not one to offer up that information otherwise.”
Kesta watched as the changeling mouthed behind Lu’nafi, ‘She’s embarrassed of me.’
Kesta shook her head, “Did I hear correctly that there’s another girlfriend currently missing?”
Lu’nafi nodded, “Yes, I believe she should be on her way back from the library soon. She had a project she was working on and past experience has taught both of us to not try and study around this one if the other isn’t present to keep her occupied.”
The changeling smirked, “You’re just mad I’m more entertaining than homework.”
Lu’nafi rolled her eyes again, “More distracting more accurately.”
Kesta turned towards the changeling, “Well it’s nice to meet you, I’m Kesta.”
The changeling froze for a second before replying, “Um…I’m Luna. Nice to actually meet you. Lu’nafi’s mentioned you a few times around the dorm, usually after her club.”
Kesta tried to appear confident, “Good things I hope.”
Luna made a ‘so-so’ motion, “Mixed bag actually. She says you talk a lot about your boyfriend, even during club.”
Kesta flushed, “Guilty. Sorry about that Lu’nafi.”
Lu’nafi shrugged, then brought over a tray with a teapot and tea cups, “It doesn't really bother me, just wish it wasn’t during the club meetings. Regardless, we’re not here to talk about that. You need to get something off your chest and I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”
Kesta really didn’t feel like talking about what was bugging her, but she knew Lu’nafi wouldn’t let her let it go. She took an offered teacup then let out a sigh before speaking, “You’re not wrong that Turnan is the prime suspect, the problem is…he’s gotten mixed up with some fairly dangerous people as well. We can’t find him because of that…and it’s just starting to be a bit much.”
Lu’nafi let out a low whistle, “I can see why you were so reluctant to share, that’s some heavy information to carry.”
Kesta nodded before taking a sip of tea, “The tea is nice, thank you.”
Lu’nafi nodded, “Sure thing. So…what’s next for you?”
Kesta shrugged, “I return to my empty dorm room devoid of my boyfriend, then wake up tomorrow and act like I don’t know anything because I can’t do anything. Then I repeat the cycle until Jhison is released or I’m told I can help in the search for Turnan.”
Lu’nafi’s face fell into a frown, “That’s…pretty dour coming from you all people.”
Kesta let out a chuckle, “Congratulations, you’re one of the few people I’ve decided to let see what’s behind the mask. Can’t be sunshine and rainbows twenty-four seven, clouds will come in at some point.”
Lu’nafi winced slightly, “I guess I understand that.” She was quiet for a minute, clearly trying to think of something to say. She was hesitant as she spoke again, “You might not want to hear this, but have you considered hanging out with other people while Jhison’s in the hospital? It might keep your mind off the ‘doom and gloom’ of the situation.”
Kesta's breath hitched slightly before she spoke, “I couldn’t do that to Jhison. The hospital is already a terrible place to be long term, leaving him there with what we both know? I’m pretty sure that could be considered cruel.”
Lu’nafi sighed before placing her teacup down, “Kesta I’m going to be frank with you right now: you’re wallowing. You’re acting like you have to carry all this weight without help when you could be trying to share it with someone. You won’t even let your boyfriend have one day without you because you're worried he might not take it well. If your relationship is so rocky that spending even one day apart is considered a terrible event, then you might want to reconsider how solid it is in the first place. But you know what? I’m fairly certain if you asked Jhison if you could spend even one day going out with friends instead of visiting you, he’d send you out with a ‘have fun’. Your life does not need to revolve around him just because he’s in the hospital.”
Kesta blinked at Lu’nafi’s words, surprised the usually passive elf laid into her in such a way. She just sat there for a minute, absorbing everything her clubmate said to her, before speaking again,” …thank you Lu’nafi. I think I really needed to hear that. I might have gotten a little too into my own head and started to go back to my old habits.”
Lu’nafi raised an eyebrow, “Habits?”
Kesta smiled sadly, “I know I talk a lot about him, but I don’t think I ever mentioned his condition. He’s been diagnosed with a combination of illnesses that cause him to have manic attacks when triggered. He’s never violent, I don’t want you to worry about that, just…verbally cruel to people, even me. He hasn’t been to a hospital since his last major episode and that was back at age eighteen…where I might have been a lot more…obsessive with helping him. Apparently old memories can reawaken bad habits if you’re not careful.” She ended that last sentence with a humorless chuckle.
Lu’nafi’s expression took on a hint of shame, “I’m sorry Kesta I didn’t know-”
Kesta cut her off, “Don’t apologize for being right Lu’nafi. I was wallowing, thinking I had to keep what was troubling me to myself. But you reminded me I’ve gained a lot since the last time, and that includes friends that are willing to support me in tough times like this. So thank you for setting me straight.”
Lu’nafi blushed slightly, “I-I don’t think I did anything special.”
Luna laughed from the kitchen, apparently fixing herself something, “That’s my Fehe, always humble even when she’s helping people.”
Kesta chuckled slightly, “Seems that’s a trait we might share.” She placed the teacup down and stood up, “Thank you for your time, but I think I’ll be okay for now. I might call one of my other friends to talk to, but you’ve done more than enough to help me.”
Kesta made her way to the door, “It was nice talking to you,” she turned to Luna, “And it was nice to meet you again, Therumani.”
The changeling jumped, “...how’d you know?”
Kesta smirked, “You can’t be around an actor and his friends without learning how to recognize vocal tones. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone if you want to keep it a secret, but I can tell you right now that no one will care about you being a changeling. One of our makeup artists is one and everyone loves her.”
Therumani rubbed the back of her head, “I’ll think on it a little.”
Kesta nodded, “Thank you again for the tea Lu’nafi. I hope we don’t go too long without talking again.”
Kesta heard the elf say her farewells as well as she left the dorm room, feeling a lot better than she did earlier. She took a deep breath before heading towards her own dorm, a bit more warmth filling her chest than before.
Notes:
Thought I might try some light heartedness after the heavier tone these past couple chapters have taken. Shame the second half of this got hit with the drama stick, lol. Either way, I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you all next month.
Chapter 24: Chapter 24
Notes:
Hi, so sorry this is coming out a week late. IRL stuff caused me to lose track of time. But that's all taken care of so you all get something that possibly enjoyable.
Thanks to my...huh I guess since I'm the DM now he's my player? IDK, he's still the Beta reader for this fic and he's still awesome.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jhison took a deep breath as the doors to the hospital opened in front of him, “Oh fresh air how I’ve missed you. Trapped in the sterilized hell known as a hospital is akin to the most cruel of tortures. Oh if I could-”
He felt a light biff on the back of his head cutting him off, “You’re out of the hospital, not the Nine Hells.”
Jhison rubbed his head as he looked up at Gruff, “Maybe it’s only a hospital to you, but to me it may as well be the Nine Hells.”
Gruff chuckled at Jhison’s words, “So where to first for you?”
Jhison didn’t even hesitate, “Home. I’m in dire need of a proper shower before rehearsal tomorrow. What about you?”
Gruff shrugged, “Same place honestly. Need to check in with Nathmar, see if the hunt has gotten any closer to being complete.”
Jhison looked apprehensive, “Are you sure you should be doing that? The doctor said your arm still needs time to heal.”
Gruff scoffed, “It’s out of the cast, so it’s fine. It’s just a little more sore than usual.”
Jhison shot Gruff a blank look, “That is not at all the case. You really should treat that injury with more seriousness.”
Gruff rolled his eyes, “What is with you all acting like you know how I’m feeling? This isn’t anything new for me.”
Jhison sighed, “It may not be new to you, but that doesn’t mean it’s still fine to ignore it.”
Gruff waved the comment away, “Whatever. You waiting for Kesta or you walking over now?”
Jhison sighed again, slightly annoyed Gruff changed the subject, “She texted me earlier she’d be waiting at home for me. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to walk over with me?”
Gruff shook his head, “Can’t, just remembered I need to check in with coach so he can check me out really quick, make sure I’m still clear to participate in the meet coming up.”
Jhison nodded in understanding, “Very well then. Then I wish you a pleasant rest of your day.”
Gruff waved as he started walking towards the school, “You too. See you when I see you.”
Jhison watched Gruff as he walked off with not a care in the world. Sometimes he wondered what that might be like, to walk around with nothing dragging him down or attacking him in the back of his mind.
Jhison shook head, ‘Not the time, Kesta’s waiting for me.’
He set his thoughts aside and started walking towards the building he had been told was being used for the temporary dormitories. As he walked he took a minute to appreciate the sights around him. The buildings that looked a little newer, the foliage that looked a little greener, the sky that seemed a little brighter; things he already enjoyed that felt a little more beautiful after getting out of the plain white walls of the hospital. In what felt like almost no time at all he was walking through the doors of the temporary dorms and up the stairs. He took a quick look at his phone to confirm the dorm number and smiled once he reached it.
He knocked on the door since he didn’t have a key yet, “Kesta? Are you there?”
He heard shuffling behind the door, but it didn’t open for him quite yet. He waited a full minute before he heard someone approach. When the door opened, he saw the smiling face of his fiance, but not much else since she only opened it so she could quickly exit the room before closing it again.
Jhison was slightly confused, “Um didn’t you-”
Kesta cut him off, “Yes, this is where I wanted you. But first, I need to blindfold you. I have a surprise for you and I don’t want to ruin it.”
Jhison chuckled, “Is this really necessary?”
Kesta nodded, “Entirely. Now…”
Kesta quickly moved behind Jhison, whose world quickly became dark as a cloth blindfold was put over his eyes. Jhison hadn’t even known she owned this, “When did you get this?”
He heard Kesta behind him still, “A while ago. Figured it would be useful for surprises in the future.”
Jhison chuckled, “I’m sure that was the only thought you had when you got this.”
Kesta gasped dramatically, “How dare you imply I had anything but the purest of thoughts when I purchased this…and be absolutely correct.”
Jhison laughed, “Glad to know I still have a free pass into my fiance’s head.”
Kesta laughed as well, “Only because I gave it to you. Alright that should be good enough. Can you see me do this?”
Jhison assumed she had done something to try and prove his lack of sight, “Can’t say I did. Do I get my surprise now?”
Kesta took his hand and opened the door again, “Indeed. I hope you like it.”
Jhison let silence fall as she led him inside. There was a bit of trouble getting him inside since he wasn’t familiar with the area, but with Kesta guiding him he at least avoided any major injuries. Soon he felt Kesta let go of his hand and position him slightly.
He heard her step away from him, “Alright, you can take the blindfold off.”
Jhison wasted no time in bringing his hands up and undoing the knot that kept the blindfold in place. He kept his eyes closed so that he didn’t get bombarded with light, but slowly opened them after a few seconds or so. He felt a smile grow on his face as he saw a table filled to the brim with his favorite dishes and a banner hanging over it saying ‘Welcome Home Jhison’.
Jhison looked over to Kesta, “This is lovely Kesta, but I don’t see why you had to blindfold me.”
Kesta let a wicked smile grace her face, “That’s because you haven’t looked behind you yet.”
Jhison, curious, did as she suggested and looked behind him…only to bring his hands up to cover his mouth as he saw his mother and father, Khada and Sonata Benevill, standing behind him, “Mother? Father?”
His father chuckled, “Good to see you son.”
Jhison dropped his hands and walked over to them, “Why are you here?”
His mother began to sign to him, “We heard about the fire on the news and called Kesta when we heard you’d been trapped inside. She kept us informed of your recovery and a few days before you were released we came into town so we could see how you were doing.”
Jhison felt a bit of shame at making his parents worry, “You didn’t need to do that.”
His father put a hand up to silence him, “We wanted to son. We hardly get to see each other any more and we wanted to make sure you were doing alright especially since you were in the hospital.”
Jhison smiled at his fathers words and moved to hug him, “I’m doing fine. It’s good to see the both of you.”
His father returned the hug, “We’re glad you’re doing okay.”
Jhison broke the hug and quickly did the same for his mother, letting her hold the hug for a long while. There was no doubt in his mind she had been worried sick about him once she’d heard about his hospitalization and so he made no moves to break the hug first. Once she got her fill of him she broke the hug, but held onto one of his arms and lightly brushed his face with her thumb.
Jhison didn’t even fight the smile that grew on his face, “I really am fine mother.”
She began signing, “I know you are dear, but a mother can’t help but worry when she hears her child was in danger.”
Kesta quietly made her way over to where the Benevill’s were reuniting, “We have quite a bit to catch up on. Shall we move to the table? I’d hate for our meal to get cold.”
The three of them nodded and made their way to the table that had been prepared for them all. Jhison pulled a chair out for Kesta before taking a seat next to her, his father doing the same for his mother. His father began the conversation as they began to serve their own plates, “So, how have your studies been? Keeping those grades high?”
Jhison chuckled, “Trying at least. Theatre is going as well as usual, but Meteorology has not been kind to me.”
His mother began to sign, “Oh, and why’s that?”
Jhison shrugged, “Just not all that interested in science. There’s certainly something interesting about weather patterns and how we can attempt to read them…but that’s about the extent of it for me.”
His father nodded, “Understandable. I remember not enjoying those classes much either when I attended university back home. As long as you’re passing you’re fine in my book Jhison.”
Jhison nodded, “Of course. Kesta’s been incredibly helpful in keeping me straight when it comes to my classes.”
His mother began to sign again, “I hope you’re not just getting her to do all your work for you.”
Jhison laughed, “Mother, pardon my language, but I’m fairly certain she’d kick my ass to the Nine Hells if I tried to do that.”
Kesta chuckled, “He is not wrong.”
His mother nodded, “Good. She has enough work on her plate. How are things going for you Kesta dear?”
Kesta quickly swallowed some food she’d taken a bite of, “It’s been going well Ms. Sonata. Classes are difficult, but it was to be expected considering the degree I’m trying to earn.”
Jhison’s father spoke up, “Have you given any more thought about whether or not you want to go further and earn your doctorate?”
Kesta shook her head, “I don’t think I will. I just feel like I’d break under the pressure of being the primary caretaker for patients. I’m much more comfortable assisting than being in charge.”
His father shook his head, “I still think you sell yourself short dear, but I’ll leave the matter alone for now.”
His mother picked up the conversation, “So Jhison, I believe you’re currently in the middle of rehearsals for the next play correct? Which play is it?”
Jhison’s eyebrows rose in realization, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I didn’t tell you. I’m so sorry. We’ll be performing Jekyll and Hyde this season.”
The reaction was immediate with his father voicing his congratulations and his mother giving him a light applause. His father spoke up, “I think I speak for both of us when I say we’re glad you’ll be participating in the play you’ve always wanted to. I assume I don’t have to ask who you’ll be playing?”
Jhison felt his smile drop a bit, “Well…you’re not wrong. But it’s…complicated.”
His mother began to sign with a concerned look on her face, “Complicated how?”
Jhison stayed silent for a minute, unsure of how to break the news to them. He felt Kesta grab his hand and lock their finger together. He gave her a smile as thanks before looking back at his parents, “I technically got the role…but I’m the understudy.”
Both of his parents look confused, but his father was the one to voice it, “I must say I’m surprised. You’ve been preparing for that role all your life. Did some new up and comer impress Mr. Neverember?”
Jhison winced, “Something like that. There’s a lot of details we aren’t privy to, but the long and short of it is that a new member did earn the role over me.”
His mother looked slightly angry as she signed, “I can’t imagine who could outshine you for that role son. You’ve been practicing those songs for ages, I doubt some newcomer could just come in and take the part from you.”
Jhison smiled, “It’s fine mother, I’ve had plenty of time to process it at this point. At least I’ve been given the role of understudy instead of not being able to do it at all.”
His father frowned, “That seems like a poor consolation prize son. Surely we can talk to-”
Jhison snapped slightly, “It’s fine father. …I’ll be fine.”
Jhsion heard his breathing get heavy and a little bit of the anger tried to creep in, but both Kesta and his mother quickly began to hum and bring him back to his senses. Jhison took a few steadying breaths before looking back up at his parents. Both of them looked apologetic, his father especially, “I’m sorry son. This is clearly a sensitive topic for you and I should have respected that.”
Jhison shook his head, “It’s fine, you were just trying to be supportive. The anger is just a little more present than it usually is as of late. I didn’t tell you when it happened but I had an episode roughly two months ago when it was announced I’d be the understudy. Conversation around that topic is still touchy for me.”
Both of them seemed even more apologetic than before, “I’m assuming Dr. Blackcloak has been informed?”
Jhison nodded, “Yes. He’s been working with me to help me keep my emotions in check when it comes to that particular topic. He also suggested a small increase in my medication dosage, but I turned it down. It’s just that particular topic that sets me off so I felt an increase in dosage was a bit much.”
Both of his parents seemed relieved at that, “We’re glad to hear that he’s still being good to you.”
Jhison smiled, “He’s been a wonderful therapist for me. I’m lucky to have him.”
His mother wiped a stray tear from her eye before signing, “How about we change topics? Kesta, when are you two finally planning on tying the knot? It’s been ages since you proposed.”
Kesta chuckled, “I’m afraid it won’t be for a while. I’m far too busy with my classes to think about planning a wedding.”
Jhison’s father chuckled, “You could leave the important decisions to us, you’d just have to send us a color palette and flower preference.”
Kesta smirked, “The day I outsource my wedding is the day I lose the will to live. I want to be included in every aspect, not just the easy things.”
Everyone at the table chuckled. Kesta was many things, dishonest was not one of them.
Jhison’s father sighed, “I suppose we’ll have to wait a little more for grandchildren then.”
Jhison laughed, “And here I thought you’d prefer us to wait so we didn’t ruin our educational plans.”
His father waved the comment away, “Let an old man have his fun Jhison.”
Jhison rolled his eyes, “Old man he says, when he can outshoot me any day of the week.”
His father smirked, “Actually you might have your shot at beating me soon. I only got nine out of ten bullseye’s this last time I went out to the range. Even my eyes aren’t immune to old age.”
Jhison shook his head, “Unless I’m beating you in your prime it won’t feel like a true victory. And I’m okay with that, it’s more of a goal to aspire to.” He turned to his mother, “And how have you been lately mother? Any new compositions or performances?”
His mother shook her head, “Not as of late. I’ve been working on a new piece, but it’s still in the early stages. Your father has been helping me put it together.”
His father nodded, “Indeed. The melody that inspired it is quite beautiful and I’m fairly certain it will become even more so once we flesh it out.”
Kesta smiled, “That’s lovely to hear. I hope you’ll invite us out once it’s complete.”
His mother smiled, “Of course. We wouldn’t want anyone else to be the first to hear it…well aside from your parents of course Kesta.”
Kesta perked up a little at the mention of her parents, “How have they been lately? I haven’t gotten a chance to talk with them lately with all the chaos of the past month.”
Jhison’s father spoke up, “They’ve been doing well. Enjoying their retirement of course, though Tahna’s made the house into a sort of medical office for everyone in town. Only doing basic check-ups of course, no prescriptions lest she get into trouble. And Khet has taken to being someone everyone feels they can talk to. It always feels like he’s out of the house helping someone with a home project. Helped us with a plumbing problem not too long ago.”
Kesta’s smile grew a little wider, “I’m glad to hear they're doing well. I should probably give them a call soon, just to check in if nothing else.”
Jhison’s father nodded, “I’m sure they’d appreciate it.”
------------
Dinner lasted for at least an hour before Jhison and Kesta cleared the dishes from the table. They relocated to the living room where Kesta and Jhison enjoyed trading stories with Khada and Sonata about what was going on both at school and Nestara. Soon though they both had to say good-bye as the sun began to set. There had been many a hug and a promise to keep in touch more often before the dorm was silent once more.
Jhison sighed as he lowered himself onto the couch in the living room, “It was nice to see them again.”
Kesta responded from the kitchen as she was working on the dishes, “Agreed. It feels like we haven’t seen them in forever.”
Jhison sat up slightly, “If you need help I can come over there.”
Kesta waved away the comment, “It’s fine. It’s really not much. Besides, you should probably still be resting to help recover your strength. Rehearsal tomorrow will be killer on your body if you’re not prepared.”
Jhison went to protest, but he yawned right before he could, “...damn it.”
Kesta chuckled, “Go ahead and get ready for bed, I’ll join you as soon as I’m done here.”
Jhison sighed, “Very well then. I love you.”
Kesta smiled, “Love you too.”
Jhison’s walk wasn’t long, but it felt a little longer than it should have, likely due to his exhaustion. He quickly changed into his pajamas and got under the covers. Instead of closing his eyes though, he pulled the book Kesta had bought for him off the nightstand next to his bed. It was customary for him to read while he was waiting for Kesta to join him. He didn’t have to wait long either. Not five pages in, he heard the door open and saw Kesta walk through it. He kept his eyes on the book as she quickly changed and got into bed next to him.
Jhison put the book down as he readjusted his position in the bed, laying on his side with an arm wrapped around Kesta. She quietly spoke up, “Good night Starlight.”
Jhison smiled as he closed his eyes for the night, “Good night, my Silver Bullet.”
------------
Turnan didn’t know how long he’d been kept prisoner anymore. He’d been able to keep track at first, but because they put the bag back over his head before they left, he started to lose track of time, especially since they’d sometimes go long periods of time between beatdowns. He put those thoughts aside as the bag was torn off his head again, Mr. Green staring down at him with that smug smile of his.
The Firbolg spoke up, “I’ll admit boy, you’re tougher than I gave you credit for. Most people would have given up past the three day mark, but it’s been a whole two weeks and you still haven’t cracked. That’s alright though, we’ve got plenty more to give you.”
Turnan tried to muster up a few words, but they came out garbled, “Never…b-betray…t-t-t-team.”
Mr. Green’s smile turned annoyed, “So you keep saying. But everyone’s got their breaking point boy, even you. So let’s see, we’ve tried metal bats, wood bats, canes, broken sticks, glass, and about every classic torture method. I’d really hate to cause you any more harm than we already have, but if you keep denying me what I want…I’m afraid I might have to move to more extreme measures.”
Turnan gathered up just energy for two full words, “Fuck…y-you.”
Mr. Green sighed, the smile never falling, “Very well then, you can’t say I didn’t warn you. Boys…go ahead and put him on the floor.”
At Mr. Green’s word two of his goons began to untie the ropes that bound Turnan to his chair. Once they were undone Turnan briefly tried to run for it, but with almost no energy in his system, he just fell over, making it easy for the goons to keep him there.
Mr. Green came into Turnan’s line of sight, “Being a wrestler and all you must have some familiarity with the floor correct? Especially against that oaf Gruff. Now if you were to point out which limb you think is the most important one to your career, I’d be mighty appreciative.”
Turnan tried to speak, but with two people pinning him it was hard to even breathe.
Mr. Green ‘hmm’d, “Very well then. Boys, why don’t you go ahead and let his left arm free?”
Tuernan felt the pressure adjust as his left arm felt freed, only to be snatched by Mr. Green’s own hand.
Mr. Green locked eyes with Turnan, “I’m telling you right now, this will only be painful if you make it painful. Just say you’ll help me and this arm of yours stays intact.”
Turnan felt a flash of fear run through his body at Mr. Green's words…but he couldn’t speak at all to stop the Firbolg.
Mr. Green ‘tut’d, “Guess that’s the arm then.”
With a swift motion, Mr. Green extended Turnan’s arm and kicked his elbow causing it to bend the wrong way. The pain Turnan felt was excruciating, far worse than what he’d been facing before. What little he had in his stomach from rations they fed him was thrown up and soon he felt his face grow sticky from the vomit he was forced to lay in.
Mr. Green was openly scowling now, “I’m done being nice boy and I hope this helps you realize that. I won’t kill you, but I can make you wish for death. I’ve got plenty of friends who can get me medical supplies so I can keep doing this over and over. So you either help me or say good-bye to living the rest of your life healthy. Which will it be?”
Turnan’s head was spinning and he could only feel the pain in his left arm. His mind was reeling as well, trying to deal with the amount of pain his body was currently feeling. Eventually though it came to a halt as he realized that he could only escape in one way…one that would save him, but potentially doom his teammate. His resolve almost held out, but in the face of overwhelming pain, he crumbled.
His voice was weak as he said, “F-fine.”
Mr. Green perked up, “You’ll fulfill your end of the bargain then?”
Turnan could only nod, his face collecting more puke as it moved.
Mr. Green clapped his hands together, “That’s wonderful to hear. Boys let him up.”
The two things holding Turnan let him go and helped him get to his feet. Mr. Green stood in front of him, Turnan trying to focus through all the pain, “We’ll go ahead and get you a doctor for all the bruising and breaks and get you cleaned up. You made the right decision boy. Take him to the hospital you two.”
As the two thugs dragged him away all Turnan could think was, ‘What…have I done?’
Notes:
I almost did it. I almost did a purely fluff chapter...but then I realized this one was a lot shorter than most of my recent chapters and had to add it that last part with Turnan...mostly because I'm a dramatic bitch. But regardless, I wish you a wonderful rest of you day. See you next month.
Chapter 25: Chapter 25
Notes:
Greetings and salutations. Always a pleasure to bring y'all a new chapter, here's hoping it delivers.
Customary thanks to my Bard for being the awesome Beta that he is and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jhison took a deep breath as he entered the main theater, sighing in relief as the smell of dust, felt and heat from the stage lights filled his nostrils. He’d never get used to the sterile smell of the hospital so being back in a place that smelt like home was comforting. It didn’t hurt that he was alone at the moment either so the silence that was always absent in the hospital was adding to the pleasantness.
He smiled to himself, ‘It’s good to be back.’
He moved toward the stage, letting his body relax with every step. He climbed the steps toward the stage slower than would normally to keep in line with the recovery plan the doctor had told him to follow, lest he agitate his muscles or his new scarring. He moved towards the center stage and turned towards the seats once he had. Closing his eyes, he began to let his mind drift toward past performances as he usually did in his own form of meditation. He heard the instruments of old songs, saw the faces of cast members both old and current, smelt the makeup that coated his face once upon a time, felt the fabrics of so many different costumes some comfortable and other unbearable…he always felt it a shame he never had anything to attribute to taste in this process to fully allow his mind to drift into the past. Regardless, he enjoyed these moments where he was able to think exclusively about the theater; no thoughts of bullies plotting his downfall, no worries of the anger taking control, no allowance for insecurities to rise…just the pure joy of performing.
It couldn’t last forever though as he heard the double doors of the main theater open and the voices of the Drama Club members began to flow in. Jhison forced his eyes to open again as his friends were conversing and moving towards the seats. It wasn’t long before he was spotted though and the conversations immediately began to stop. All the members of the club had their eyes on him, not saying a word as though the shared vision they were having would shatter if they did.
Ari however, was nothing if not contrary, “What took you so long asshole?”
Jhison laughed, “Lovely to see you too Ari.”
And like that everyone rushed towards the stage in order to welcome their friend back. He was surrounded from all sides by members asking how he was feeling and just wanting reassurances he wasn’t grievously injured.
Dendrath’s voice cut through the crowd, “W-we were all r-really sc-scared when we heard y-you’d got hospitalized.”
Jhison smiled, “Well fear no longer. I’m back and I’m just fine.”
Ari spoke up, “Good. Because we need a Jekyll. You better not have slacked off just because you were in the hospital.”
Jhison rolled his eyes, “Sorry have we not met? I’m Jhison, chronic performer. Spent every night in the hospital going over the script after Kesta gave it to me.”
Ari grinned, “Good, because if not I’m not afraid to sick W.I.L.L.S.O.N. on you.”
All the veteran members of the club shuttered, including Jhison. W.I.L.L.S.O.N. was Ari’s pride and joy as a robotics major; a robotic rabbit that she’d programmed to act almost exactly like an actual one aside from following her commands to the letter. One such command was to use the taser hidden in the nose to zap any student she deemed ‘not trying hard enough’, though she was just likely to do it if you’d pissed her off that day. Many club members had complained about the robot’s usage before, but they fell of deaf ears due to the fact that the taser was extremely low powered and couldn’t cause any lasting damage…that and Ari scared a lot of people so the complaints rarely left the confines of the Theatre Hall.
Jhison tried not to let Ari know she’d effectively shaken him, “No need for that. I’m more than ready to help the club get ready for the performance.”
“Oh no you’re not.”
Jhison looked up to see a smirking Savah, dragging an embarrassed Kesta behind her, “You two still owe me.”
Jhison chuckled, “And what, pray tell, do we owe you exactly?”
Savah’s smirk grew into an evil grin, “A song. You two didn’t perform the song I spent days of research on because our trip got interrupted. Did you really think I’d let you get out of it?”
Jhison sighed, “It might have been a stray hope, yes. Frankly I wanted to save you the embarrassment of failing again, but it seems you’re not just a glutton for information.”
Savah laughed, “Tough talk for a man who’s about to be so ashamed he’ll never want to step foot on that stage again.”
Jhison laughed, “A bold proclamation, let’s see if you can make good on it.”
The rest of the club members began to disperse to the seats while Savah continued to drag Kesta behind her as she marched down the aisle and up the stairs towards the stage. She let go of Kesta once they’d made it to the stage proper then went to where Ari kept the sound equipment, grabbing two of the dynamic microphones and bringing them back to the couple.
Kesta sighed, “I’m fairly certain it’s customary we get to know the song before we sing it, especially since we won’t have the words in front of us.”
Savah let out an exaggerated sigh, clearly disappointed that some of her fun was being spoiled, “I’ll give you a minute after my villain speech to look up the lyrics, after that it’s sink or swim.”
Jhison lowered his upper body in a mock bow, “Thank you oh grand torture master.”
Savah’s grin returned, “I quite like that name, thank you. Now,”
She turned to face the crowd, “I feel like I’ve outdone myself this time. Usually I try to make them crack by making them sing an embarrassing song about sex and lust…but this time I went even further. I went into the depths of music depravity…country music.”
A shudder went through the room at the mention of the dreaded music genre, “Now normally I wouldn’t lower myself to these depths for something other than a quick prank, but these two have won my game for too long. So without further ado, let’s all make these two crack with ‘Party for Two’ by Shania Twain and Billy Currington.”
The crowd began to applaud as Savah made her way to the aux cord, not noticing that both Jhison and Kesta were smiling at each other.
Kesta mouthed just two words, “She lost.”
Jhsion nodded as the two kept up the act by pulling out their phones and pretending to look up the lyrics. In truth, Jhison had expected Savah might get desperate in her attempts to crack the two of them and get them to blush or stammer uncontrollably so he did his own research. After compiling a list of the most likely songs, the two spent the days leading up to the trip to The Siren’s Lair learning each of them so Savah’s losing streak would stay intact. Though he would admit there was a bit of luck involved that she had happened to choose a song that came off the list. Either way, the two knew Savah was about to be very disappointed.
Jhison tried to keep his voice low and the microphone away from his mouth, “What do you think? Play dumb or give them a show?”
Kesta followed his lead, “Wait till we get to the chorus, then we’ll give them a show.”
Jhison tried to fight the grin that wanted to form, “This should be fun.”
Savah called from off stage, “Alright you two, any last words? Too bad, song starts now.”
Jhison chuckled as the song began, Kesta stumbling on the first line pretending like she didn’t know how fast the song started. Jhison quickly followed her lead, looking at his phone and singing his lyrics just a few seconds too late like he hadn’t ever heard them before. However, once the first chorus hit, the two simultaneously put their phones away and began to dance to the rhythm. The satisfaction of seeing the club members' jaws drop at their improvised choreography made everything he’d had to suffer in the hospital worth it. Savah fuming out of the corner of his eye made it all the sweeter.
Jhison laughed as the song ended and there was no applause, “Oh come now, I feel we deserve something for tricking you all for so long.”
Savah was still angry, “Fuck you, there was no way you should have known what song I would pick.”
Kesta laughed, “You're right, we didn’t. We just spent the weeks before the trip listening to every embarrassing country song we could find until we became numb to it.”
Jhison turned to Savah with a smirk plain on his face, “Face it dear, you’re just too predictable sometimes. Your losing streak continues, though I do hope the next attempt actually makes us sweat.”
Savah grumbled as she made her way into the audience, sitting in one of the far off chairs and making it known she was in no mood to talk with any of the club members.
Kesta leaned in, lightly biting her lower lip, “You don’t think we took it too far do you?”
Jhison shook his head, “She’ll calm down soon enough, you know as well as I do how much she hates losing.”
Ari took control again, “Alright, sideshow’s over. Let’s get to work.”
------------
Gruff was a little pissed as he walked into rehearsals. When he went to talk to Coach Galoril yesterday he’d been told that he’d be on a probationary period since the coach was worried about agitating Gruff’s burn scars, meaning he’d be doing special drills with Coach Marinon. Gruff could understand that to some degree, but it didn’t stop him from being pissed that he couldn’t drill like he used to.
Gruff’s thoughts were just as angry, ‘Why do people keep saying I can’t handle this shit? It’s nothing I’m not used to.’
Gruff shook his head, trying to clear it, ‘Whatever. I’ll just show Coach that I’m fine in the ring, then he’ll let me join the rest of the team for drills.’
He walked in to see Ari giving instructions on stage, “Alright, we’re gonna start running scenes from the first act. If you don’t have a part in the first act or if you’re not in the scene we’re doing, you’ll be joining the ensemble. We’re not gonna use mics for right now since it’s just a read through, so the songs will be kept low as well. If you have to read from the script fine, but try to put some ‘emotion’ or whatever into it. Now then, let’s start with act one scene one.”
Ari looked up and noticed Gruff, “Just in time. Get up here Jekyll.”
Gruff’s brow furrowed, “Not my name.”
Ari rolled her eyes, “Guess what? I don’t care. It’s rehearsal time and the clock to opening night is winding down so if I wanna call you by character name I’m going to. Got a problem, take it up with Raenar. But something tells me he’ll only give a smidge more of a shit than me.”
Gruff knew right then and there that any prep he and Jhison had worked on was going to be necessary, because Ari was already making his mood worse. At least now he had experience with it.
Gruff huffed, “Fine, whatever. I’ll get up there.”
Ari smirked, “Glad you’re seeing things my way. You need a script?”
Gruff shook his head before pulling the script Kesta had given him from his bag. As he made his way up to the stage, he passed by Jhison and Kesta, the latter of whom stopped him, “Hey, don’t worry too much about getting it perfect right now okay?”
Gruff chuckled mirthlessly, “Don’t think Ari agrees with you on that.”
Kesta smirked, “Well even she knows not to mess with me when I get miffed, so don’t worry about her. Just do your best.”
Gruff shrugged, then finished his trip up the stairs and walked over to where Ari was. Ari started to walk towards the seats, speaking as she did so, “We’re gonna be starting and stopping a lot and no one is allowed to leave without permission. If we’re on a roll the last thing we need is the mood being ruined by the doors opening.”
As if one cue, the doors opened to interrupt her and in came running a familiar scale clad Half-Elf, “Sorry! Sorry, class let out late.”
Ari sighed, “It’s fine. You’re lucky we hadn’t started yet. In fact you and the other scaly one need to get up there. We’re doing the first scene and that needs Jekyll, Danvers and Utterson. So get.”
Daeceran nodded, “Right, of course.”
Dr. Dragon stood up from his seat, “Always a pleasure to be first on stage.”
Gruff felt uncomfortable as the other two joined him on stage. He was used to Jhison and Kesta’s presence next to him, but these two were new quantities. He could already tell Dr. Dragon wrote him off as someone to be ignored and while he wasn’t unused to that look, it didn’t mean he cared for it either. Daeceran seemed a little more personable, but he could still see a bit of fear behind the Half-Elf’s eyes as he approached.
Once the two had taken their places, Ari spoke up from the center of the stands, “Alright, last chance, if you need to leave, now’s the time to do it.” When no one moved she continued, “Alright. Act one scene one it is. When you’re ready…action.”
Gruff took a deep breath, before looking at his script, “I-in each of us there are two natures. If this p-primative duality of man, good and evil-”
Ari interrupted him, “Cut! Gruff, come on you had plenty of time in the hospital to look over this. Didn’t you at least read through it?”
Gruff shrugged, “I skimmed it and had Jhison recount the important stuff.”
Ari facepalmed, “Yeah that’s not gonna cut it here bud. I know it’s your first time, but stumbling over the big words ain’t good. Especially since it’s the first thing people are gonna hear when the curtain rises. Delivery’s a bit stale too, I know you heard me when I said you’d need to put in some emotions if you were gonna read from the script.”
Gruff scowled, not liking what he was hearing, “Whatever. You want me to go again?”
Ari raised an eyebrow, “Not if that’s the attitude you’re gonna have. Maybe you forgot this, but a lot of people here are working hard to make this show the best it can be. You need to be matching that energy or get off the stage and let Jhison take your place.”
Gruff almost went ‘fuck it’ and got off the stage, but Kesta spoke up before he could, “Ari?”
Ari turned to look over at the Kalashtar, “What?”
Kest smiled in a way that felt too sweet, “Would you kindly lay off the person who’s performing for the first time in front of an audience who’s made it no secret they want to see him fail? Or perhaps you’d like to lose both your Jekyll’s?”
Ari scowled and narrowed her eyes, “You wouldn’t dare.”
Kesta’s smile never fell, “Try me.”
Ari seemed to want to argue the point, but before she could Mr. Neverember walked in through the double doors. He put a hand up as all eyes fell on him, “Sorry for interrupting, but I finally wrapped up my meeting.”
Kesta’ smile dimmed slightly, looking more normal, “It’s no trouble sir. We were just starting the scene again.”
Mr. Neverember let out a sigh, “That’s good at least. Well then, who wants to catch me up to where we are?”
Jhison spoke up this time, “We were just about to run the first scene again.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “Very well, then allow me to do my duty as the director.”
He made his way to where Ari was in the stands. Once he sat down he looked up at the stage, “I eagerly await to see what kind of performance you’ll be giving us today you three. Now, when you're ready…action.”
Gruff’s eyes fell back to the script, “In each of us there are two natures. If this p-primitive duality of man, good and evil, could be h-housed in separate iden-identities, life would be re-relieved of all that is unb-bearable. It is the curse of mankind that these polar twins should be c-constantly st-struggling.”
Daeceran took over, putting a lot more passion into his speech, “In the Autumn of 1888, my friend Henry Jekyll embarked on a series of scientific experiments that he hoped might alter our notions of good and evil. How could I have known that they would also transform his soul, and mine as well?”
Mr. Neverember spoke up before Dr. Dragon could begin his part, “Cut. Well done the both of you. Daeceran, I’d say you have a good grasp of the words, but let’s tone down the energy a little. This is meant to be a somber moment, yes?”
Deaceran nodded, “Right. Sorry sir.”
Mr. Neverember shook his head, “No need to apologize. Now for you Gruff. I understand this is your first time performing with us, but I will admit a bit of disappointment in hearing all those stumbles. Easily fixable, but I would have preferred you try and fix those while you had the chance back at the hospital. Now, how about we start from the top? If I like what I hear then we’ll go ahead and move onto the next line. Does that sound fair?”
Deaceran nodded, “Sure thing.”
Dr. Dragon shrugged, “No skin off my nose. Actually, could someone toss me my water bottle? I'm feeling a bit parched.”
Dendrath got up from her seat and moved to where Dr. Dragon had been sitting. She quickly retrieved it then made her way to hand it to him.
Dr. Dragon stopped her, “No need to walk all the way over here. Just toss it to me, I’m a good catch.”
Dendrath seemed apprehensive, but did as she was told and lightly tossed the bottle to where Dr. Dragon was standing. Dr. Dragon caught it with no problem and proceeded to take a swig…before promptly starting to choke as the water went down the wrong pipe. Before Gruff could move out of the way Dr. Dragon released the water out of his mouth, soaking him and his script.
Dr. Dragon coughed while trying to apologize, “Oh *cough* gods. I’m so *cough* sorry, I thought I could just sw-*cough*swallow it. Let me get *cough* you some tow-”
Gruff interrupted him as he walked away, “I’ll do it myself.”
Jhison stood up, “Do you need me to show you where the washrooms are?”
Gruff shook his head, “I’ve got it.”
Gruff didn’t wait for any more people to try and help him before he moved out of the main theater. As he moved through the Theatre Hall towards the washrooms, he felt his anger start to rise.
“I’m pretty sure he did that on purpose.”
Gruff turned to see Nathmar was following behind him, “No shit. When did you get here?”
Nathmar shrugged, “Right before that asshole thought he was funny by splashing water on you.”
Gruff huffed, “Can’t even get through one day without one of them making fun of me.”
Nathmar sighed as the two entered the washroom, “Look far be it from me to defend that guy, but can you really say we’re any different on the team? Hazing is just part of the process.”
Gruff scowled, “Yeah, thing is, everyone on the team chose to be there. I didn’t want to be here in the first place.”
“So then why don’t you quit while you’re ahead?”
The two wrestlers turned to see the current cause of Gruff’s frustrations, Dr. Dragon, standing in the doorway with a smug smile on his face, “If you don’t want to be here, quit. Save everyone the trouble and yourself from any further embarrassment.”
Gruff snarled, “Why don’t you go take a long walk off a short pier, scale face?”
Dr. Dragon mock gasped, “Oh no, not an empty insult. My one weakness.” He laughed, “You can put on a brave face all you want, but everyone here knows that you don’t have what it takes to be up there. So again, save us the trouble of having to carry your sorry ass to opening night and quit.”
Nathmar moved between the argument, “How about you stop with the harassment and get back to the others?”
“No, I think it better that he sticks around and keeps digging the proverbial hole.”
All three were surprised to see Jhison standing behind Dr. Dragon, “J-Jhison! I was just-”
Jhison cut the Half-Elf off, “Harassing our lead performer? Yes I could see that. I could also see it when you purposefully spat out your water on him. Which, really? That’s just disgusting. So many tricks to try, and you went for the grossest one? Frankly I’m ashamed.”
Dr. Dragon’s expression grew angry, “What you should be ashamed of is Gruff’s performance on stage. He can’t even get the words out without stumbling over them.”
Jhison raised an eyebrow, “And? Is there a point to pointing out the obvious?”
Dr. Dragon’s expression turned shocked, “What do you mean ‘is there a point’? The point is that he shouldn’t even be here, let alone have the lead part.”
Jhison smirked, “Oh? And who should? You? Because last I checked, I was Gruff’s understudy. You’re just lowly Danvers Carew. Fitting you should get the part of the father too far up his own ass to see what he’s ruining in the process. You do know I could just march back in there and tell everyone what you did right? They won’t even think twice about believing me, do you why? Because I’m the star, not you. Now, why don’t you put an egg in your shoe and beat it?”
Dr. Dragon scowled, “Fine. But when he ruins this show, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Dr. Dragon didn’t even look back as he retreated. Jhison sighed as he turned to the two wrestlers, “Sorry about him, I’ll keep an eye out to make sure he doesn't try anything like that again.”
Gruff narrowed his eyes at Jhison, “Why’d you help me?”
Jhison chuckled as he leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, “I told you didn’t I? I’ve got your back while you’re a member of this club. No one will step out of line if I tell them not to…well except Ari, but you know how she is.”
Gruff shrugged, “Whatever. Thanks I guess.”
Jhison shrugged, “Think nothing of it. I’ll let you get cleaned up. Good to see you Nathmar.”
Nathmar waved a hand as Jhison began to retreat. When he was certain the Human was out of earshot he turned to Gruff, “When the hell did Jhison get so badass?”
Gruff laughed, “Pretty sure he’s not. He’s just a more respected nerd here.”
Nathmar sighed, “You can’t let anyone have anything can you?”
Gruff smirked as he reached for a towel, “Nope.”
------------
Dr. Dragon fumed as he made his way out of the Theatre Hall. Jhison sticking up for Gruff was one thing, but threatening him over it? That made it personal. Good thing he knew how to get back at the prick.
He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed a number he’d memorized a while ago. The person on the other line picked up almost immediately, “I’m in on your plan. Let’s bring this asshole down a peg or two.”
The person on the other side laughed, “Glad you’re on board. We’ll show that upstart what happens when you try to upstage Vernon von Rapture.”
Notes:
I'm convinced there's no such thing as a chapter devoid of drama for me. Fluff is non-existent in world, lol.
Again, I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you all next month.
Chapter 26: Chapter 26
Notes:
Hey, how's it going? If you're wondering why this is a few days late it's because I wrote myself into a corner with this chapter and was stuck on it for an entire week. Thankfully I got out with an excuse I think is plausible but I'll let you be the judge of that.
Regardless, customary thanks to my Bard (who's about to pick up the DM hat again, lol) and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jhison was feeling a bit on edge if he was being honest with himself. It had been a few weeks since Dr. Dragon’s stunt and as far as Jhison could tell the Elf in question hadn’t done anything in retaliation. Part of him wanted to believe it was because he’d scared Dr. Dragon into behaving, but a more realistic part of him knew the Elf was more likely just biding his time. It was the ‘what for?’ that had Jhison on edge. He tried to keep those thoughts away for now though, rehearsal was in full swing and the familiar robotic rabbit had already started showing up on stage.
Jhison shivered, ‘As if I need to give her a reason.’
He decided to put those thoughts aside and focus on how Gruff was doing on stage. Progress had been slow going (most likely due to Gruff’s reluctance at being there at all), but like Jhison had seen before, once Gruff saw he could do something he took to it fairly well. Soon he was reading his lines with as much vigor as the rest of them. Singing and choreography were still a challenge though, there really was only so much one could do with an untrained voice and body, but Jhison slowly saw the other club members begin to warm up to the idea of Gruff being Jekyll and Hyde like he had.
Currently they were going over the scene where Jekyll presents his work to the Board of Governors. As the meeting began to fall into a full blown argument, Jhison once again got to see that rage Gruff kept inside of him. If there was one thing he felt Gruff truly had over him as an actor, it was how well he could portray rage. Jhison never really felt he could properly practice the emotion without the anger taking over, so seeing Gruff, someone who hadn’t taken a single acting class before Jhison had offered, portray the level of true anger Jekyll would likely have felt at his work being called the work of the devil by hypocrites who sat in their ivory towers…frankly Jhison felt a bit jealous.
As the scene wrapped up, Jhison felt his hands begin to move of their own accord to applaud those who were on stage (though he’d privately admit it was more for Gruff). As the noise died down he heard Mr. Neverember call attention to himself, “I think that was as good a note as any to leave off on. Luckily no one got zapped today either.”
Ari grumbled at the comment, sulking, “All of you are fucking lucky I was nice today.”
Mr. Neverember chuckled, “Indeed. Now let’s make sure we get this space spotless. After all: a clean stage makes for…”
The club answered in unison, “A clean performance.”
Mr. Neverember nodded, “I’ll see you all next week. We’ll be starting to move off script so take some time to memorize your lines. The performance is only a month away now so I recommend taking any chance you can get to practice your lines.”
Jhison lightly chewed his lip, ‘Will that be enough time for Gruff?”
He put his worry aside again, focusing instead on helping the rest of the club clean up the main theater. He quickly moved through the rows of chairs, scanning every inch with practiced motions. He was so focused he nearly didn’t notice a body move in front of him. Only his quick reflexes saved him from crashing into said person, who turned out to be Nathmar.
Jhison put a hand to his chest, “Dear gods you scared me.”
Nathmar looked a bit sheepish, “Sorry about that, just wanted to talk to you. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
Jhison waved a hand, “It’s no real trouble. What did you need to speak to me about?”
Nathmar shot a quick glance around, “You mind taking this out of the main theater? I don’t want Gruff to find out I’m telling you about this.”
Jhison was already curious, but Nathmar’s actions now had him on a hook, “Of course.”
Nathmar nodded in thanks before the two discreetly made their way out the double doors of the main theater. Once the doors were closed behind them Nathmar let out a breath he’d likely been holding in, “Okay we should be good here.”
Jhison smirked, “So what was it you needed to say? I do hope this isn’t a confession, Kesta already owns my heart after all.”
Nathmar rolled his eyes, “Please, you’re not even close to my type.”
Jhison laughed, “Shame. Well then don’t keep me in suspense any longer, what is it?”
Nathmar sighed, “Alright. So the wrestling team’s got a big meet this weekend and Gruff’s really hoping to attend. Coach Galoril’s awesome, but sometimes he’s a bit too overprotective with us. Ever since Gruff got caught in the fire he’s been forced to do less intense drills, but the last few practices he got to do the normal stuff. But I don’t know if coach’ll let Gruff compete.”
Jhison raised an eyebrow in confusion, “So where do I come in?”
Nathmar sighed, “Well it’s a two part ask. First part is me asking if you’d be willing to put a good word in for Gruff with coach to see if that’ll tip the scales in Gruff’s favor. If he hears from someone who was also hospitalized, that might help him see that Gruff will be fine.”
Jhison cut Nathmar off, “But will he be though? It’s only been a few weeks since we were released, aren’t you worried he might hurt himself?”
Nathmar chuckled, “Of course I am, I worry about that every day, but I’ve been watching him while he’s training. It’s almost like he never left the mat at all and in the gym it’s no different. His workout routine is intense and yet he’s gone through it day after day without showing a hint of extra effort. Now I also know he’d rather pass out than admit he needs help, but he’s never looked any more tired than he usually does, so I’m willing to believe that he’s ready to get back in the ring with us.”
Jhison decided to let that point sit for a bit, “What’s the second part?”
Nathmar seemed a little embarrassed, “Well…assuming Gruff does get to compete, I’d like you and Kesta to swing by. You two were the first ones in the club to make an effort to get to know him despite everything. I don’t know if he’d say it like this, but I think it would mean a lot to him if you two saw him at his best and were cheering him on.”
Jhison sighed, “Well let no one say you’re a bad friend to Gruff. I don’t know how effective I’ll be at convincing your coach, nor do I think our presence will be as appreciated as you might think…since you went out of your way to ask, I suppose I can attempt to provide my assistance.”
Nathmar grinned, “Thank you Jhison. This is gonna go great I can already tell.”
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‘I really should have asked how to get to the coach’s office. This place is a maze.’
Jhison found himself turning yet another corner inside the gymnasium. Having never attended any games or events held in the building, each turned corner often had him feeling just as confused as the last one. He’d been at this for five minutes and frankly wondered if he’d ever find the office of coach Galoril.
His roaming was brought to a halt as a gruff voice called out to him, “Something I can help you with?”
Jhison turned to see a burly Minotaur walking towards him, decked out in what Jhison could only assume was the coach’s uniform, “Actually yes, you wouldn’t happen to be coach Galoril would you?”
The Minotaur shook his head, “Afraid not. What business do you have with him though? You don’t seem the wrestling type.”
Jhison nearly cackled with how nervous he was, “Ah no…just here on the behalf of my clubmate.”
The Minotaur raised an eyebrow, “You’re from the drama club then? That’s a bit of a surprise. What’s your name?”
Jhison wasn’t sure how he was still standing, “Jhison sir.”
The Minotaur nodded, “That makes a little more sense then. Nathmar told us you were the leader of your group and that you shared a hospital room with Gruff. You said you’re here to speak on his behalf?”
Jhison nodded, “Yes sir.”
The Minotaur sighed, “Very well. I’ll take you to Galoril, if nothing else he might want to meet you.”
Jhison sighed in relief, “Thank you Mr…”
The Minotaur turned around and began walking, “Marinon. Coach works fine though. It is my job after all.”
Jhison walked a bit faster than usual to keep up with the coach’s longer stride, “Very well then. Thank you Coach. …nope can’t do it, thank you Coach Marinon.”
Coach Marinon chuckled, “Nathmar told us you lot were eccentric.”
Jhison flushed, “Guilty. I was raised to respect those with authority so referring to a teacher so casually doesn't quite sit right.”
Coach Marinon shrugged, “It makes no difference to me. It’s just a title.”
Jhison thought about pushing it, but quickly realized he was far more invested in the conversation than coach Marinon was and dropped it, instead taking the time to observe his surroundings should he ever need to come back. As the pair moved through the halls Jhison couldn’t help but admire the photos of all the teams that lined the halls. Each of them had a small plaque that showed what year the photo was taken and to see so many photos that featured a first place award of some kind took Jhison aback.
He heard Coach Marinon chuckle ahead of him and turn to see the Minotaur was smirking at him, “Surprised to see so many awards?”
Jhison shook his head, “Not especially. Waterdeep University has always boasted the best students…it’s just the sheer number of first places is impressive.”
Coach Marinon lightly laughed, “Surely your group has earned just as many accolades?”
Jhison shrugged, “Only sort of. Some of us have performed in contests for musical theater and been awarded, but we’re quite self contained otherwise.”
Coach Marion huffed, “I find that a shame. There’s pride enough in putting on a satisfying performance I suppose, but proving yourself better in combat, now that’s a glory that never fades.”
Jhison was intrigued, “I take it that’s why you accepted your position?”
Coach Marinon nodded, “Part of it anyway. Both Galoril and I were scouted after we retired champions in our weight class. We both felt we could help the next generation take the sport to new heights and we were not disappointed. Each of these boys came here to prove themselves in the ring and none of them have walked away disappointing us…well until recently that is.”
Jhison winced, “I take it finding out about Turnan’s part in the dormitories burning down wasn’t exactly a proud moment.”
Coach Marinon huffed, “The boy was overzealous, quick to anger and often put the team and its members on a pedestal; but his talent could not be denied. It is a shame that he will likely face incarceration once he is found, he could have gone on to be a champion.”
Jhison saw Coach Marinon turn one last corner before pointing towards a door, “Galoril will be in there. I wish you luck in whatever you’re here to speak on.”
Jhison watched the Minotaur stalk away before turning back towards the door and taking a deep breath, “Alright then. Showtime.”
Jhison raised his hand and rapped on the door four times. It was silent for a minute before the door was opened by a Goliath that stood head and shoulders taller than Jhison did.
Coach Galoril raised an eyebrow in curiosity, “Helsingen, is there something I can help you with?”
Jhison tried to keep calm, “I’m here to speak on the behalf of one Gruff Sharptooth.”
Coach Galoril’s brow furrowed slightly, “Pardon? I was unaware Seir needed to be spoken for.”
Jhison tried to keep his confidence, “It is my understanding you are debating on whether or not Gruff should be joining you at your meet tomorrow and I’d like to vouch that he is more than ready to get back into it.”
Coach Galoril sighed, “Are you here on orders from Seir or Vind?”
Jhison decided to keep silent. Coach Galoril rolled his eyes, “Most likely Vind. Seir would never ask someone for help like this. Come in I suppose, I’ll hear you out at least.”
Jhison breathed a sigh of relief and stepped into the open office. Coach Galoril closed the door behind him and motioned to a seat which Jhison was all too happy to take.
Coach Galoril sat in a chair opposite Jhison, “Alright. Why don’t you explain to me how you’re so certain Seir is ready to get back in the ring without ever having seen him practice?”
Jhison had been anticipating the question, “While I do not mean to discredit your sport, there is a level of physical activity in theater performance that often calls upon the body to move and twist in ways it’s not used to. Gruff, while not being the most elegant of dancers, has still managed to keep up with the rest of us in spite of his injuries. I was also Gruff’s roommate in the hospital and know first hand how serious his burns and scarring were and currently are. This past month and a half he has shown that he is able to move just as easily as he ever had, despite the pain he is no doubt still feeling.”
Coach Galoril rose an eyebrow in surprise, “You’ve come prepared. I commend you for that.”
Jhison couldn’t help the smirk that grew on his face, “My job as an actor is to always be prepared when talking to someone. You never know when saying the right thing will lead you to the right people.”
Coach Galoril chuckled, “I suppose I’ll take you at your word there. However, you’ve still not convinced me Seir is ready for the ring. You say you were in the hospital with him, correct? Then you’ve likely seen the burn wounds that are on his right shoulder. What you don’t know is that Seir has a habit of leading with his right shoulder for both grappling and takedowns. Say I allow Seir to wrestle seriously again and those wounds which have just started to heal tear or rub against the mat in the wrong way. Who will have been the one who put my star member in danger? You? Seir? No, the blame will fall on me, because I trusted the words of someone who often doesn’t treat his own pain with any amount of respect.”
Coach Galoril sat back in his chair, “Seir is a phenomenal wrestler, and pushing past one’s own limits is often the path to new strength, but I’ve seen just as many promising pupils burn out or break because they don’t treat their bodies with the respect they deserve or don’t listen when they’re begging for them to stop or slow down. Seir is one such person, believing that the toll his body is taking will never catch up with him. The day after he received a stab wound, he tried to sneak it past me to continue wrestling, putting his own safety in danger if those stitches had torn. He is aware of my rules of personal safety and has attempted multiple times to sidestep them, believing himself to be, if not above them, better than them. So again, why should I let someone who’s willing to put himself in danger do so?”
Jhison was stunned, he’d never considered this particular facet of Gruff’s personality and if he were honest with himself, he had no real counter argument.
Coach Galoril took Jhison silence as an answer, “I appreciate you trying to vouch for Seir, it means quite a lot that he’s made a friend in the drama club who’s willing to do so, but I can’t in good conscience let him enter the ring when he might hurt himself worse. He and the team are my Huslyd, my family, and I won’t watch them hurt themselves.”
Jhison found himself desperate and threw out the first option he could think of, “What about wrapping the wound?”
Coach Galoril raised an eyebrow, “Pardon?”
Jhison decided to press forward, “If we were able to wrap the wound tightly enough, then unless he hits the ground extremely hard the wound should stay closed. Surely that’s not a violation of the rules?”
Coach Galoril leaned forward, “It’s not, if fact it’s recommended that wounds be wrapped, but are you sure the wounds would be kept safe?”
Jhison nodded, finally thankful for the wounds he’d earned, “I have proof it can be done right here. Pardon me.”
Jhison lifted both his shirt and undershirt halfway up his stomach, “On my eighteenth birthday I was part of a firearm malfunction accident that earned both me and my girlfriend burn scars that closely mirror Gruff’s current ones. I spent roughly two months in the hospital after which I was told to keep them wrapped to prevent further infection. During the recovery process I was physically beaten by an old enemy of mine and while I experienced bruising, the wounds themselves faced minor damage because of how tightly we kept them wrapped.”
Coach Galoril’s brow furrowed, “Seir would never go for it, he’d hate showing any sign of weakness.”
Jhison lowered his shirt, “Then we’ll provide an ultimatum. Tell him in no uncertain terms that he can either wrap the wounds to keep himself safe, or he’ll be kicked off the team. I haven’t known him long, but Gruff’s dedication to the team is as, if not more, fierce to my dedication to the drama club. If he’s told he’ll be failing his team by not taking care of himself, then there’s no way he won’t listen.”
Coach Galoril was silent for a minute, clearly deep in thought. When he next spoke there was skepticism in his voice, “I will think it over. But know this, if Seir does get hurt because of this, there will be consequences.”
Jhison nodded, “Of course and I won’t shirk the responsibility either. You’re placing a lot of trust in me and I refuse to let that trust be broken.”
Coach Galoril nodded, “Very well. You may see yourself out, I have a lot to think about.”
Jhison quickly moved to get up, “It was a pleasure to meet you sir.”
Coach Galoril smiled, “And you as well Jhison.”
Jhison was stunned, “How did you-”
Coach Galoril laughed, “I know everything that goes on with my team. Helps when you have a member who’s more than willing to feed you information. Vind speaks highly of you and your loyalty to your castmates. Were you one of mine I would give you the name Hjerte or heart.”
Jhison felt his face grow red in embarrassment, “That’s very kind of you sir.”
Coach Galoril waved his hand towards the door, “Go on. I’ve got to think on this idea of yours.”
Jhison needed further prompting and quickly moved to leave the room, surprised he’d been able to navigate that conversation as well as he did. He took his time moving through the gymnasium, giving himself room to decompress and mentally pat himself on the back for being able to help his castmate.
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Gruf grimaced as he read the email he got from coach Galoril that evening. He was happy that he’d get to compete, but he wasn’t thrilled about having to wear bandages to protect the burn marks. However, he knew the coach was likely serious in that he’d get kicked off the team so he decided to go with it lest he potentially lose his scholarship a way he really didn’t want to.
He put his phone down and stared up at the ceiling from his bed, ‘Whatever. Competing is the important part, means I just get to show coach I can wrestle without it sooner too.’
He closed his eyes, deciding getting some shut eye now would be better, he had a long day ahead of him tomorrow after all.
Notes:
NGL when I drafted the pseudo outline in my head for this I thought I was gonna be doing both the negotiation and the event in one go, but as you can see that didn't happen. Oh well, just means I know what's going to happen next time. Hope you guys are there for it, have a good one.
Chapter 27: Chapter 27
Notes:
Hello there. Sorry for the late update, getting in the writing mood this past month was a bit more difficult than usual. Still though, deadlines wait for no mood so I pushed past it.
Customary thanks to my DM and I hope you guys enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
If there was one thing Gruff could say he genuinely hated about wrestling; it was having to wake up early for meets. Sometimes he’d be lucky and the meet would be held at the university, but this time it was being held at a venue that was equidistant from each participating school, meaning he had to wake up early just to get on a bus that usually rocked and jostled so hard he couldn’t just fall back asleep. At least he didn’t suffer alone since Nathmar had to get up with him.
Nathmar ran a hand over his face, groaning, “You know, you’d think I’d be used to getting up because I grew up on a farm, but apparently you can grow out of it.”
Gruff groaned in annoyance, “You say that every time, just shut up already.”
Nathmar let out a tired chuckle, “Gotta keep up the tradition…gonna be weird not having Turnan with us this time ‘round.”
Gruff didn’t say anything, but he somewhat agreed with Nathmar. Turnan was often the one who kept spirits high on the bus rides to and from meets by cracking jokes and starting team chants. Not having that hypeman energy around was going to hurt morale and Gruff already knew it.
Gruff’s brow furrowed, “Doesn’t matter, he’s a traitor so he doesn’t deserve a second thought. We’ll be fine without him.”
Nathmar raised an eyebrow, “Competition wise sure, but morale wise? Don’t think so. You’re not wrong though, just gotta keep moving forward.”
Gruff just kept quiet as they moved onto the bus, taking an open set of seats near the front with Gruff taking the window seat. He closed his eyes and leaned against the window, trying to get a few more minutes of sleep in before he heard someone talking beside him.
“Captain?”
Gruff huffed before looking over and seeing Atlas and Grom looking at him with shame on their faces. Grom was the one speaking, “We’re sorry that we didn’t stop Turnan before things went too far. We thought-”
Gruff interrupted, “You shouldn’t have thought about anything other than what I said that night. The only reason I don’t tell coach to kick you two off the team as well, is because you were just keeping watch and didn’t know Turnan was going to do what he did. That said, and this goes for all of you, mention the traitor in my presence again and see how long you last on this team.”
Both the Orc and the Warforged knew not to press him right now and simply nodded before moving further onto the bus. Gruff went to close his eyes again but Nathmar interrupted him, “Seems a bit harsh don’t you think?”
Gruff glared at Nathmar, “What part of he betrayed us are you not getting?”
Nathmar didn’t even flinch, “The part where that means any mention of him has to be banned. Maybe he wasn’t yours, but he was a friend to a lot of us, someone we thought we knew before this whole thing went down. You can’t just erase his existence like he didn’t mean something to some of us.”
Gruff felt himself getting angry, “Look you wanna keep remembering someone who betrayed us and helped burn down the dorm rooms be my guest, but I want that fucker out of my head. Now let me sleep.”
Nathmer scoffed, but kept silent regardless of his feelings on the topic. Gruff just closed his eyes and waited for the bus to start up so they could get moving.
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“Alright quick checklist to make sure we’re not forgetting anything; Water?”
Jhison grabbed his water bottle out of his prepared bag, “Check.”
Kesta looked at her list, “Bus route?”
Jhison pulled his own piece of paper out of his bag, “Check.”
“Snacks?”
Jhison nodded towards Kesta’s bag, “Already in the hidden pocket in case they won’t let us have them.”
“Phones?”
Jhison held up his, “Fully charged the night before and spare power bars in both bags.”
Kesta folded the list and stuck it into the small backpack next to Jhison’s own, “I think we’re ready then. This should be interesting, I can’t say we’ve ever attended a sporting event.”
Jhison lightly chuckled, “I hope we don’t stick out too much, I’d hate to draw unnecessary attention.”
Kesta seemed to remember something, “Oh wait, I almost forgot something.”
She quickly dashed into their room and brought out a small unmarked box and set it next to Jhison, “Go on, open it.”
Jhison raised an eyebrow in confusion, but lifted the lid keeping the box closed. Inside was a pair of headphones, “What’s this then?”
Kesta smiled, “They’re noise canceling headphones. I figured being in a crowded place might accidentally trigger the anger, so I thought this might help us keep it under control till I can help you.”
Jhison smiled as he removed them from the box, “This is lovely Kesta, thank you.” He quickly placed them into his bag, “Now then, shall we get going? Wouldn’t want to miss our lead actor’s performance today.”
Kesta chuckled as she reached for his hand, “Let’s.”
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Gruff sighed as he closed the locker he’d been assigned. Much as he hated to admit it, Turnan’s absence could be felt by the entire team and morale was taking a hit. The energy they usually went into a competition with was lower than it had ever been before, because everyone knew why Turnan was gone.
‘If we go into our matches like this we’re gonna look like chumps. Alright, time to be a captain.’ Gruff took a deep breath, “Alright, listen up.” He waited till he saw he had his team’s attention, “Let’s get this out there; yes, Turnan did what he did and he’s not gonna be on our team anymore. I know it hurts to lose a teammate, especially one that kept the energy up like he did, but we’ve gotta move on. If we go out there moping, we’re gonna get crushed by the other teams and I don’t know about you, but that’s not where I wanna be. Let’s get out there and show them why we’re the best of the best.”
Gruff didn’t even need to look around to see his words had no effect. He saw the supportive smiles of Oak and Nathmar, but everyone else seemed to still be down in the dumps. Atlas spoke up, “All due respect captain, but that’s not what we were worried about. We’re worried the other teams might know about why Turnan is absent. If it got out one of our own aided a dangerous individual, it might reflect poorly on us as a team in general. I mean it took less than a day for everyone on campus to find out and already we’re starting to get glances in the halls.”
Gruff cursed under his breath, he’d been assuming that it was the loss of a teammate that was getting to everyone, but he hadn’t thought about their reputation. He doubted Savah could keep the information under wraps either since he’d told her to tell everyone about what Turnan did and information like that spread whether you wanted it to or not.
‘C’mon Sharptooth, think! There’s gotta be a way to bring morale back up. We can’t let the other teams know we’re vulnerable.’
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Nathmar hated seeing Gruff like this. Watching the Half-Orc fumble and flail around trying to bring morale back up was painful, especially because Gruff possessed very little natural charisma.
‘Guess I should try and help him.’
Nathmar sighed before standing up from the bench he was sitting on, “Alright real talk guys. Turnan’s left a hole in the team, no one here’s gonna deny that, and rumors spread like wildfire so there’s a good chance the other teams will know about what happened. But we can’t let that get us down right now. If anything, we need to prove to everyone what happened was the exception and not the rule. When we go out there without Turnan we’ll be telling people ‘yeah our teammate fucked up, but that’s why he’s not here anymore’. If we show even a hint of regret, then we’ll be condoning his actions, not condemning them.”
Oak smirked, “Breaking out the five copper words, huh?”
The whole team including Nathmar chuckled, “Point taken. Look, we can’t pretend he wasn’t here,” He shot a look over to Gruff at that one, “But we can show everyone that what he did wasn’t cool. So don’t just get mad right now, let’s get even. Get even with the other teams like they’re the ones who turned our teammate against us.”
Already Nathmar could feel the energy begin to rise and the faces of his teammates brightening a little, “We’re the best wrestling team this side of Faerun…so let’s fucking prove it.”
Nathmar’s words were met with a rallying cry of a team now hungry to prove themselves. Gruff took the lead back, “Let’s go crew.” With that, the team followed behind Gruff, eager to get on the mat.
Nathmar hung back a little, smiling at the familiar scene, ‘Guess we’ll be okay after all.’
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Jhison was feeling a little tense. He didn’t entirely like being in new territory surrounded by people he didn’t know, but the more pressing issue to him was that he’d already heard rumors about the Waterdeep University team…specifically Turnan.
Jhison sighed as he rubbed his temple, ‘Seems even Savah isn’t able to prevent information like that from getting out. Hopefully this won’t affect our team too badly.’
Jhison didn’t have much time to think on that before a Fire Genasi grabbed a microphone and began to address the crowds, “Alright everyone and welcome to the Triboar Interscholastic Wrestling Meet!” She waited for the cheers that arose to die down before continuing, “My name is Em’brana and I’ll be your master of ceremonies for this event. We’ll be announcing match-ups shortly, but right now let’s introduce the teams that’ll be entertaining you today.”
Some music began to play from the loud speakers, “First, coming from the foggy plains of the Evermoors; give it up for Silvermoon University’s Gleaming Knights!” A raucous applause rose out from the crowd as the team came out from the halls leading to the locker rooms. Em’brana continued, “Next, coming from the rocky crags of The Spine of the World, it's Mirabar University’s Stone Carvers!” The applause didn’t die down for a second as the next team came out from the same halls, “After that, coming from the hottest place this side of Faerun, here comes Neverwinter University’s Volcanic Eruptions!” The cheers seemed to get louder as the third team arrived from the locker rooms, “And last but certainly not least, it’s the team that’s held the most championship awards for the last five tournaments, give it up for Waterdeep University’s Malcontents!”
Jhison and Kesta cheered as loud as they could when they heard the name of their university…and unfortunately for them it got them a lot of attention as the cheers had gone down considerably. Jhison felt his face flush as people near them glared, as though they had said something to personally offend them and a quick glance at Kesta showed she was no better.
As though nothing happened Em’brana continued with the opening ceremonies, “We ask each of the team captains present to come forward as representative for your team for the Oath of Sportsmanship.”
Jhison watched as Gruff moved towards the center of the arena where he was met by three other wrestlers. Em’brana looked to all of them, “Do all of you swear to abide by the rules set by the Faerun Wrestling Association, so that those participating will step into the ring knowing they will be able to wrestle to their full ability without fear of cheating or bodily harm?” Jhison watched as all four captains nodded in agreement, “Then by the power vested in me as the master of ceremonies, I declare this competition officially begun!”
The crowd roared in excitement as the captains rejoined their teams. Em’brana addressed the crowd again, “For our first timers, allow me to explain how this event will be conducted. Each team member has been given a time slot and an opponent. This event will be a swiss event, meaning whether you win or lose you’ll be participating all day. Pairings after the first round will be decided on the total win to loss ratio. After all of the rounds are scored we’ll be awarding placements to the top three wrestlers for each school and overall. The first round matches will be announced momentarily.”
Jhison felt a bit of excitement begin to build inside of him. He turned to Kesta, “Are you feeling this energy too?”
Kesta nodded, a smile plain on her face, “I am, it seems to be coming from both the crowd and the wrestlers themselves. It’s infectious.”
Jhison lightly laughed, “Perhaps this will be more fun than I previously thought.”
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Gruff waited until the first round matches had started before face palming. When he’d gone up to swear the oath for his team, he’d been unable to ignore the prominent sore thumbs that were Kesta and Jhison in the crowds and wondered if Umberlee was punishing him for something.
Gruff quickly found Nathmar, who was stretching and getting ready for his own match. He grabbed the Shifter by the shoulder, “Why the hell are those two here?”
Nathmar smirked, “So they did show up. Frankly I thought they’d blow me off.”
Gruff groaned, “Why did you invite those two here?”
Nathmar chuckled, “Well the main reason was because I thought if they saw you in your element they might be able to get the other drama kids to back off a bit, but a secret reason was because I wanted to make you squirm a little for making me worry about you when you ran into a blazing building.”
Gruff glared at the Shifter, “You’re an asshole.”
Nathmar’s smirk never fell, “Love you too buddy.”
Gruff ran a hand over his face, “If we didn’t need you for the tourney today I’d kill you.”
Nathmar chuckled, “Aw, you need me do you? I’m glad I mean that much to you.”
Gruff glared again, “Don’t push it, you’re on thin ice.”
Nathmar gave a faux salute, “Aye aye, captain.”
Gruff smirked, “Ass.”
Gruff turned around to find a place to do his own stretches, but Nathmar caught him by the arm, “You’re sure you’re up to this?”
Gruff rolled his eyes, “Like something like this will stop me. Besides, I’ve got it wrapped up like coach said. I’ll be fine.”
Nathamr’s fears didn’t seem to be assuaged, “Alright then. But don’t overdo it okay? Maybe keep the rage locked up today so you don’t have to worry about your arm.”
Mentally Gruff knew there was no way in hell he was going to do that, but he said, “Sure thing.”
Nathamr nodded before starting to walk off. Gruff called out, “Weren’t you stretching?”
Nathmar turned to look at him, grinning, “I was, but now I’ve got two confused nerds to go talk to.”
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Nathmar weaved his way through the crowds easily as he made his way to the stands. Admittedly he’d thought Jhison would have ignored the second half of his request, but he’d evidently underestimated the loyalty of the Human. Once he made it to the stands he quickly scanned them for any sign of the drama club’s power couple, though he didn’t have to look very hard as he easily caught sight of Kesta’s contrasting purple skin and white hair. He waved to them and thankfully Kesta caught it and waved back causing Jhison to turn around and wave as well. Nathmar waved them over and patiently waited as they moved through the stands to get to him.
Nathmar smiled once they reached him, “You know I honestly didn’t think y’all would show.”
Jhison laughed, “Well you did go out of your way to invite us, the least we could do is swing by to see you compete.”
Nathmar’s smile didn’t fall, “Well I’m glad you’re here. You planning on staying the whole time?”
Kesta shook her head, “Unfortunately no, we’ve got to catch a bus a little after noon to make it back to the dorms before the roads get a little too crowded for our tastes. Plus we don’t want to risk the anger coming out since Jhison’s in a new environment.”
Nathmar shot a look towards Jhison, “Is that likely?”
Jhison shook his head, “Not very, just better safe than sorry. Though we are taking a few precautions.” He opened his bag slightly and showed Nathmar the newly gifted headphones.
Nathmar breathed a sigh of relief, “Well I won’t keep you. I’m gonna head back to where my team is, you guys enjoy the event alright?”
Jhison seemed worried as Nathmar was about to leave, “Um, before you go you should probably know…there are already rumors flying about what happened on campus.”
Nathmar sighed, “Can’t say we didn’t see that coming. Don’t worry, we won’t let them get to us. In fact, we’re using that as power today; we’re gonna show them that we don’t need Turnan and that what he did was scummy.”
Jhison and Kesta seemed relieved at his words, Kesta speaking up, “That’s comforting. We’re sorry you have to go through it at all though. Perhaps I should have told Savah to be more subtle in getting the information out.”
Nathmar shook his head, “Don’t worry too much about it. What’s done is done, we just gotta move forward. If I don’t see you guys again before you leave, just know I’m glad you showed up to support us.”
Jhison nodded, “Break a leg out there.”
Nathmar smirked, “Can’t, rule infraction.”
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Turnan watched the meet from a small corner in the stands no one was looking at. Mr. Green had been kind enough to let him watch, but told him in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t be allowed to interact with anyone unless he wanted his arm to be broken again…or worse this time.
Turnan felt nothing but regret as he watched his team compete, ‘I should be there with them, not here in the stands with a broken arm because of a fucking psychopath.’
Then he saw something that caught his eye, Nathmar talking to two familiar figures, ‘What the fuck are the monster and his bitch doing here? Are they trying to infect the rest of the team with their stupid drama club shit?’
Turnan tried to keep calm, knowing the consequences would be dire if he were discovered, ‘Whatever, not like I can do anything about it anymore. Pretty sure even after Mr. Green gets what he wants, I'm still gonna be under his thumb. Guess your stupid plays weren’t wrong about one thing you freak; don’t deal with people you don’t know.’
Turnan forced himself to look away and back to where his team was competing. Despite the situation, he couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face as he watched them compete. Every member was giving it their all and even when they lost it was a close match. If he tried he could even forget about everything he’d-
“Can’t believe they have the balls to show their faces.”
Turnan looked down to see a pair of Elves talking, one with blond hair and other with brown. The brown haired one spoke up, “I know right? Especially after one of their teammates burned down their dorm rooms, what a disgrace.”
The blonde one snickered, “You know I heard he did it because he was jealous of the team captain.”
Turnan wanted to protest, ‘No, I just wanted to keep him safe.’
The brown haired Elf scoffed, “What a joke. Bet he wasn’t even that good of a wrestler, just cruising by because of his name or something.”
Turan felt his blood boil, ‘My name means nothing to the school, I worked for my place on the team.’
The blonde laughed, “Which one do you think is gonna snap next? My bet’s on the captain, he looks like he’d break your bone just for accidentally hitting him with a door.”
That one made Turnan’s blood run cold, ‘...What did they say?’
The brown haired one nodded, “Oh yeah. He definitely looks the type to beat someone up because of a rumor, even if it wasn’t true.”
Turnan’s whole body froze, ‘...stop it.’
The blonde haired one spoke up, “Bet he’s a total jerk to his team too.”
‘Stop it.’
The brown haired one laughed, “Malcontents? More like Malicious, because I’ll bet that captain is the worst person in the world.”
Turnan wanted to scream, “JUST STOP IT!”...but he couldn’t. His jaw was frozen, the words stuck in his throat and all because of one Firbolg who’d inflict more pain than he could imagine if he let himself get caught. So he just had to sit there in silence as rumors about him and his team flew around him…never able to correct them that it was all his fault.
Notes:
Isn't it fun to see your own words thrown back at you? Regrets are a bitch Turnan. Also I do apologize to any actual wrestlers reading, I tried my best to research how events are held, but I've no doubt I messed something up or got formatting all wrong.
Regardless, I hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you next month.
Chapter 28: Chapter 28
Notes:
Hi, so sorry this is coming out late, IRL stuff got in the way of my writing time. But regardless here's the new chapter.
Customary thank you to the DM for getting this back to me so quickly and I hope y'all enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Savah Re’quan was a lot of things: smart, charismatic, able to turn any situation to her favor with little more than a glance and a smile; but one thing she was not was patient. When she was working for her father it was always the thing he criticized the most, and while he was fair in his criticisms the consistency of that particular criticism always made her feel inadequate. But this was a prime example of why she hated being patient; people around her were suffering and for all the power and influence she had at her disposal she couldn’t use any of it because of how evasive her target was. Mr. Green was a target she’d never encountered before: someone she couldn’t find any information on.
Now Savah was no stranger to people who kept things extremely close to the chest, but even those people had something she could find if she did enough digging, but Mr. Green was either a ghost or knew how to cover his tracks so well there was no trace to speak of in the first place. Every trick she’d ever developed back in her heyday was failing her and she was furious. It didn’t help that her only true connection back into her old life, Savag, couldn’t help her either. So here she sat; alone in her room surrounded by hundreds of words of information…and none of it could help her.
Savah glared at one of her boards as though that would make it spill information it didn’t have, “Come on Savah, there’s no such thing as someone with no trail, only people that know how to cover it. So what are you missing?”
The Yuan-ti paced around her room, “You know his last location, you know how he does things, so it should be easy to find him…so why isn’t it?”
Before she could throw a bigger fit, she heard a knock at her door…one she immediately recognized. He quickly moved to the door and looked through the peephole, hardly believing who was on the other side of it. She opened the door to see a familiar Drow and Yuan-ti standing in front of her.
Savah looked over to the Drow, “Things must be serious if you’re here Jarlaxle.”
The Drow shrugged, “What can I say? I don’t much care for my territory being taken.”
Savah stepped aside and let the pair in, “So then that was your warehouse?”
Jarlaxle nodded, “Unfortunate emphasis on was. It’s now under the observation of our new Firbolg friend, much to my chagrin. Taken right from under my nose.”
Savag spoke up, “As lovely as this house call is, we do have things we need to discuss.”
Jarlaxle nodded, “Quite right. So, have you been able to find anything else out Savah?”
Savah shook her head, frown back on her face, “It makes no sense that I can’t find anything on him despite his name and presumed number being so big. My snake pit has never failed me and it’s frustrating that that streak is being broken by an up and comer.”
Jarlaxle turned to Savag, “And there isn’t a pattern to his operations we can exploit?”
Savag shook his head, evidently just as disgruntled as his sister, “I’ve analyzed how he took over the other territories and he’s never followed the same strategy twice. Keeps him unpredictable.”
Savah felt the urge to hit something, “Fuck. He can’t keep evading us like this, people I care about are getting hurt now because of him.”
Jarlaxle put up a hand to calm her, “I understand your frustration Savah, but we can’t jump the gun on this one. If he’s truly as skilled as he’s proving to be, then trying to capture him without an airtight plan is suicide. He was able to take something from me of all people, that should show how capable he is.”
Savah raised an eyebrow at that, “How did he take that warehouse from you? Your men are only second to our own.”
Jarlaxle frowned, clearly not happy at reliving the memory, “He was almost imperceptible until he’d completed the job. He approached each of the members of my band separately then offered a deal to work with him. If they agreed business continued as usual, if they didn’t they were dealt with. I’ve been having to keep my hands clean as of late because of the incident with my daughter so I couldn’t keep as close of an eye on my subordinates as I’d have liked.”
Savag raised an eyebrow in confusion, “Your men would so quickly turn on you for something as simple as coin?”
Jarlaxle shook his head, “Actually no. Not a one of them took the deal, I only found out because my second was approached in the same manner and was only just able to get away from the Firbolg’s muscle. Finding out most of my crew was dead was not pleasant I must say.”
Savah signed before turning to her boards, “So we’re up against someone who's got a plethora of resources, help that rivals the best in the business and is nearly untraceable. Wonderful.”
Savag chuckled, “Don’t sound so excited now sister.”
Savah flipped him the bird, “Piss off.”
Jarlaxle chuckled, “Glad to see you two have made up.”
Savah rolled her eyes, “That’s one way of putting it I suppose.”
Savag looked like he wanted to say something, but his phone vibrated before he could. He quickly pulled it out and looked at the screen, eyes widening once he saw what was on it, “Sister, we have a chance.”
Savah was at his side in an instant, “What do you mean?”
Savag titled his screen to give her a better view. The image was grainy, but Savah could still make out the image of a Human sitting amongst a crowd sitting in bleachers…a Human she’d been trying to track down since he’d set fire to the dorms.
Savah looked over to Savag, “Where is this?”
Savag put his phone away, “A wrestling meet a few hours from here. If we’re quick about it, we might be able to grab him before he can escape.”
Jarlaxle immediately headed for the door, “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go grab a loose end.”
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Jhison never thought he would admit this, but he was having fun watching all the different matches as they played out. Sports had never really appealed to him in general, but watching the give and take of wrestling, how one might give a little ground in one moment just to take it back and then some the next…it was like a dance, more violent and brutal then he was used to, but beautiful in its own way. Watching Gruff however was a marvel in and of itself.
Jhison had known the Half-Orc was good, his name had been everywhere even before joining the drama club, but Jhison had never given much thought to what that actually meant in terms of wrestling. But watching Gruff as he effortlessly won match after match against his opponents, never seeming to break a sweat, he felt like he was starting to understand why Gruff was so adamant on staying on the team.
‘If the others were here to see this…I think they’d definitely see what can happen when Gruff wants to be somewhere. I think I should show them.’
Decision made, Jhison began to discreetly take out his phone, not knowing whether videography was against the rules. Once he’d set up the camera and made sure the light wouldn’t come on when he hit the button, he began to record Gruff’s current match against one of the members from Neverwinter University. He’d made it just in time as Gruff broke the grapple he was in before grabbing for the leg of his opponent and using his body weight to bring them down. The crowd from Waterdeep University, admittedly small, cheered loudly as the count was called, signifying Gruff as the winner.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Kesta smiling at him, “Having fun?”
Jhison nodded before looking back at the match, “I can hardly believe it, but I am. The energy here is intoxicating and the matches themselves are exciting.”
He saw Kesta turn toward the match as well, “I get what you mean, honestly it makes me want to stay for the whole event.”
Jhison mentally jumped at the reminder, “How much time do we have left?”
Kesta looked at her watch, “About an hour I’d say.”
Jhison felt a small hint of disappointment hearing that, “That’s unfortunate, I don’t know if I want to leave if I’m being honest.”
Kesta chuckled, “I’m going to refill out water bottles, do you need anything while I’m gone?”
Jhison shook his head, “I think I’ll be okay once you come back. I’ll let you know if anything interesting happens while you’re gone.”
Kesta nodded, then began to make her way off the stands and out into the halls of the event venue. Jhison watched her to make sure she made it out safely before turning his eyes back to the event proper.
‘The next match can’t start soon enough.’
------------
Kesta hummed to herself as she made her way through the halls, keeping an eye out for any water fountains as she did. Honestly she was happy for the momentary break from the event, all the loud voices were slightly overwhelming, but she couldn’t deny she was having fun watching as well, though she doubted she and Jhison would attend another event like this any time soon.
‘Still though,’ she thought to herself, ‘this has been a nice reprieve from the chaos of the past few weeks. Istus knows we’ve needed a break from all the…oh goddess damn it.’
Before she’d been able to finish the thought she saw a trio of people who she knew were going to ruin her good mood; Savah, her brother and someone she could only assume knew about their second lives.
‘I deserve this, I let my guard down. Alright time to see what fuckery I get to deal with today.’
Kesta began to make a beeline for the trio, hoping to intercept them before they got too far away from her. Her efforts were rewarded as she was able to navigate the crowd easier than them due to her being only one person.
She grabbed Savah by the arm, “Why the hell are you here of all places?”
Savah immediately broke Kesta’s grip on her and reversed it, dragging her along with them, “No time to explain, we’ve got a small window of time before the bastard gets away.”
Kesta didn’t quite follow but didn’t try to break free either, “Which bastard are we talking about?”
The third member of their party, a Drow with short white hair and piercings, spoke up, “The one who got the dormitories burned down.”
Kesta looked the Drow over, “And you are?”
Savah spoke up, “Introductions later, bastard catching now. How long have you been here, Kesta?”
Kesta decided it was better to help than hinder at the moment, “A few hours now. Jhison and I were watching the event.”
Savah nodded, “Do you have a decent idea of where the exits in the main auditorium are?”
Kesta shook her head, “Wasn’t looking for them.”
Savah ‘tsk’d, clearly not happy at that, “Going in blind then.”
Savag spoke up, “I’ll go on ahead, see if I can’t see anything useful.”
Savah nodded, “Don’t get caught.”
Savag smirked, “I thought we were beyond petty insults sister.”
Neither Savah or Kesta got a chance to reply before Savag faded into the crowd. Kesta blinked in surprise before Savah snapped her out of it, “Where’s Jhison?”
Kesta raised an eyebrow in confusion, “In the stands watching the matches, why?”
Savah grimaced, “Because now would be a really bad time for the anger to come out. Any chance you can get him away from the matches until we can bag the bastard?”
Kesta thought for a minute, “Depends, do I have to lie to him?”
Savah shrugged, “If you think you can get him out without letting the anger out, you can tell him whatever you want.”
Kesta thought again before nodding, “I think I’ve got a plan, but I’ll have to stay out here.”
Savah nodded before letting Kesta go, “Do what you’ve gotta do. We’ll keep moving forward. All goes well, we’ll have our lead to Mr. Green and be able to put this all behind us.”
Kesta nodded again before breaking off from the pair, “Good luck.”
She sighed as she pulled out her phone, “Something tells me she already jinxed it.”
------------
Savah wasted no time in hiding herself in the crowd once she and Jarlaxle had made it into the main auditorium, the last thing she needed was to get spotted by one of Mr. Green’s associates before she could grab Turnan after all. She then wasted no time in scanning the area, making sure to mark all the exits, especially any near where their tipper had seen Turnan.
It wasn’t long before she felt her brother’s familiar presence at her side, “Room seems to be secure, I found no trace of our enemy here.”
Savah didn’t look at him, “Any sign of our target?”
Savag didn’t speak, but pointed instead to a far off corner where she could easily pick out the Human, “His hiding spot was easy to find with the help of the picture. He seems to be alone, but I doubt he actually is. Shall we move to incapacitate him?”
Savah shook her head, “Not yet, I need to make sure someone who could compromise our plan is out of the room first.”
Savag nodded, “I will be making my way to the closest exit where he might escape from. Once the complication is gone, I trust you to get him to move my way. Once he’s out of the line of sight, we can make a grab for him.”
Savah nodded, “Make sure Jarlaxle knows the plan as well. Miscommunication could lead to our target slipping away from us.”
Savag nodded before he slipped away again. With him gone Savah scanned the room again looking for Jhison. She was able to find him with no issue due to how quickly he was moving out of the room, a pair of bags in his hand.
Savah smirked as he left, ‘Wonder what she told him. I’ll ask her later.’
However, with all complications out of the way, it was time for her to make her move. Savah scowled, “You wanna play in our world Turnan? Then it’s time to find out what happens when you mess with the Snake Queen.”
------------
Jarlaxle observed Savah from a distance, playing the part of lookout in case something went wrong. As far as impromptu plans went, he had to admit the twins had come up with a good one. Were it him though he might recommend having Savag be the one to get Turnan to leave since he was an unknown quantity to Turnan, but then again it was possible Turnan didn’t know about Savah either seeing as how he loathed the drama club.
Jarlaxle shook those thoughts away and focused back on the task at hand, ‘No need to overcomplicate things, just be ready for when things go wrong.’
Jarlaxle kept watching as Savah made her way behind the stands where Turnan was sitting and smirked as he saw the Human’s body freeze in fear moments later. Soon after he saw the Human stiffly get up and begin to move towards the nearest exit where Savag was waiting.
Jarlaxle let out a small sigh of relief, ‘Alright, that’s part one down. Let’s get over there and make sure the rest goes smoothly.’
Jarlaxle quickly moved through the crowd he’d placed himself in and made his way to one of the closer exits. Stepping out into the hallways, he began to make his way through the crowd and towards where he knew Savah and Savag would be trying to ‘persuade’ Turnan into coming with them. As he turned the corner though, he was met with the sight of the twins both restrained, Savah with her arms behind her back and Savag with an arm around his throat.
Jarlaxle sighed, ‘There it is.’
He wasted no time in stealthily making his way over to the confrontation, hoping the element of surprise would give him the chance to rescue the twins and still get away with Turnan. As he got closer he could hear voices arguing, hushed though to keep from drawing attention.
Savah’s voice cut through the group, “I always knew you were a snake Turnan, but allying with these people is a low I thought even you were above.”
Turnan’s voice was scathing in reply, “Fuck off. You don’t know anything about what’s going on. Who the fuck even are you?”
Savah growled at him, “Your worst nightmare if you don’t call off your dogs.”
Turnan scoffed, “What, you think they’ll do what I say? They only answer to him and I’m not looking to get my arm broken again.”
Jarlaxle was close enough now that he thought he might be able to break Savag free, but before he could try, he felt something touch the small of his back, “Keep moving hot shot, hands where I can see them.”
Jarlaxle cursed under his breath, ‘I got careless. Ah well, so much for the element of surprise.’
Before his assailant could move to restrain him, Jarlaxle batted the hand that was held to his back away before turning around and grabbing the arm. Once he had a firm grip he began to bend the arm towards its owner forcing them to drop whatever they had and providing Jarlaxle the opportunity to move behind them to restrain them instead.
Jalraxle fished his own knife from his pocket, “Let’s go say hi to your friends.”
The person barely put up any resistance as they moved forward, clearly understanding the situation they were in. The pair walked forward until they’d caught the group's attention at which point Jarlaxle saw Savah and Savag’s restraints get tighter, Savag beginning to choke slightly.
Jarlaxle smirked, “Sorry I was late, ran into someone who didn’t take kindly to me listening in. Now then, how about you let my associates go and no one has to get hurt today?”
The one holding Savag grunted, “How about you let ours go and we don’t snap the kids neck instead?”
Jarlaxle looked towards Savag who held up one finger, ‘So I need to keep them talking for one minute then. Good thing I’m a talker.’
Jarlaxle put on his winning smile, “Oh I don't think you’ll want to do that…unless of course you want the biggest crime boss in the city to start taking you seriously. How long do you think your operation will last after that?”
The one holding Savah smirked, “Oh we’re prepared for it. Mr. Green’s always ready to deal with people who get in his way.”
Jarlaxle raised an eyebrow, “Oh is that so? And pray tell, how exactly does he plan to deal with someone who’s got enough resources to start and end three wars in the same month?”
They laughed, “Unfortunately you won’t be around to find out…Jarlaxle.”
Jarlaxle tried not to let his disappointment show at being a known quantity, “So you know who I am then? Then you know I’m already pissed since your boss decided to take my territory from me. So I suggest you listen to me when I say to take my deal now before things get uglier for you.”
Turnan spoke up, “What the fuck is he talking about? Who is he?”
Jarlaxle rolled his eyes, “Do you really think keeping him in the dark is a good idea?”
The one holding Savah shrugged, “He’s not going to be part of our operations for long. We didn’t feel a need to let him know things that would force us to kill him.”
Jarlaxle turned to look at Turnan, “Do you really think they’ll let you just walk away?”
Turnan scoffed, “I’m not that dumb. I know I’m dead once he’s done with me.”
Savah seemed to be impressed, “There may be hope for you yet.”
Before anyone could say anything else, the thug holding Savag fell over letting the Yuan-ti free. Savag wasted no time in pulling out a hidden knife in his sleeve and rushing the one holding his sister. Jarlaxle moved quickly as well, making a quick cut on the left calf of his captive so he couldn’t run away without being in excruciating pain. Once they were done with their respective opponents they turned toward Turnan…who was already running for the exit.
Savag cursed, “We don’t have much time, come on.”
The trio began to run after Turnan, but they had to admit the Human’s athleticism was making the chase more difficult than they’d hoped. It also didn’t help that he apparently knew the venue better than they did as he led them around corner after corner, almost losing them more than once. Eventually though he led them outside where they knew they’d have the advantage.
Or at least that’s what they thought before they saw a Firbolg wearing a green three piece suit standing outside seemingly waiting for them, “Well isn’t this a sight?”
Jarlaxle felt his heart sink, “How did you get here so fast?”
Mr. Green laughed, “Who do you think gave the boy a ride? I’ll say though I didn’t expect the great Jarlaxle Baenre or the Re’quan twins to show up to this little shindig. What a fun day this turned out to be.”
Jarlaxle snarled, “You’ve got hell to pay for Green, those men weren’t yours to kill.”
Mr. Green smiled, “And here I thought you’d be happy to hear how loyal your boys were. Shame too, good help is hard to find in this business of ours.”
Savah snarled, “You’re done you bastard. You hurt one of my friends and no one gets away with that.”
Mr. Green ‘tut’d, “Now now miss Snake Queen, how about you put away your fangs before someone else has to get hurt? I’m just here to pick up my charge before y’all can cart him off.”
Savah seemed to be getting angrier, “Go to hell.”
Mr. Green laughed, “I’m afraid if you intend to send me there, I’ll be taking you with me. I’ll let this one slide today because you all aren’t my targets as of right now, but cross my path again and I promise you you’ll be meeting your ancestors early.”
He turned around beckoning Turnan to follow him, Turnan doing so without a word. Savah seemed to want to follow him, but Savag put an arm in front of her and shook his head. Savah seemed to understand this wasn’t the time and backed off. The trio could only watch helplessly as the pair got into a car and drove off.
------------
A figure hiding in the shadows watched as Mr. Green and Turnan drove off, cursing under his breath.
‘So much for that one. Should’ve expected he’d have people nearby in case things went south. Too bad that was probably my one shot.’
The person’s phone began to ring and they quickly pulled it out to see who it was. He smiled sadly as he saw his boyfriend’s number before answering.
“Hey Nath, how’s the tourney going?”
Notes:
Oh so close. What, did you think I was gonna let it end so easily? Please, my party know me as the dramatic bitch for a reason, lol.
Either way, I hope you enjoyed this month's offering and I hope to see you next time. Have a good one.
Chapter 29: Chapter 29
Notes:
Hi there, so sorry for the late update. I'm currently in the process of moving and free time is in short supply. Nevertheless new month means new chapter.
Thanks as always to my DM for being a fantastic beta and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Turnan felt tense as he sat across from Mr. Green. The Firbolg hadn’t said anything since he’d ‘rescued’ Turnan from the freaks who’d tried to grab him and somehow that was more terrifying than if Mr. Green was yelling at him.
Turnan decided to bite the bullet, “I swear that wasn’t my fault.”
Mr. Green chuckled, “I’m aware boy. In fact I’m quite proud of you. You did exactly what I told you to and didn’t take the chance to leave when you could have. If anything I’m only disappointed that you put yourself somewhere you could be seen, but you’re not used to this life yet so I’ll let it slide.”
Turnan felt sick, “So then…I’m not in trouble?”
Mr. Green shook his head, “Not at all, in fact I might reconsider killing you now. You follow orders well and you’ve got a good few years of physical fitness behind you. A little more training and you might be someone worth keeping.”
Turnan only felt worse, “Glad to see I’m not useless yet.”
Mr. Green laughed, “No one is useless, especially in this life of ours. Everyone can be used for something, whether it’s information gathering, muscle or more innocuous things; everyone in this life has a purpose. You’d do well to remember that.”
Turnan felt both relief and shame hearing that and resolved to sit in silence for the rest of the trip…wondering if he’d ever be able to escape Mr. Green.
------------
Folgrand sighed as he pulled into the dormitory parking lot. Today had not gone as planned. If he’d had it his way, Turnan would be in the custody of the Re’quan twins and Jarlaxle and they would be one step closer to bringing down Mr. Green…and getting him out of the Firbolg’s clutches.
Folgrand was sympathetic to Turnan at some level. While his hatred of Jhison and the drama club was little out there, he could sympathize with needing to make a deal to keep things afloat. Folgrand was in one such position when he gambled away his funds for school and had no way to get them back. All it took was one handshake with the Firbolg and he’d found himself back in classes like nothing had ever happened.
Of course, like Turnan, Folgrand found out that dealing with the Firbolg had consequences. The Shifter found himself being at Mr. Green's beck and call, stealing for him, beating someone up for him…thankfully not killing for him yet. He’d been doing this for years and had never thought he’d be able to get free…until two things happened in rapid succession.
The first was meeting Nathmar. He’d seen the fellow Shifter at the GSA a few times before, maybe interacted with him once or twice, but he hadn’t thought much of the wrestler until he’d approached him one day, flowers in hand and a blush on his face. Folgrand had consigned himself to being alone forever a long time ago, not wanting to risk a potential partner’s safety, but something about the way Nathmar had asked him out and the bravery he showed in doing it had Folgrand saying yes before logic could stop him. It only escalated from there: dinner dates, little hangouts together, spending time in each other's dorm rooms; Folgrand couldn’t remember being so happy…and that made it worse anytime he had to blow him off to carry out Green’s orders. Which is where the second thing had come in.
Turnan’s arrival at the school warehouse had thrown Folgrand for a loop. Turnan was famous for being something of an asshole to anyone outside of the wrestling team, but hearing he’d made a deal with Mr. Green, to take care of some blackmail on his captain, had Folgrand’s wheels turning. In the weeks that Turnan had held out against Mr. Green’s torture, Folgrand began to plan out a way to get Turnan into the hands of someone more powerful than Mr. Green. A task that was not at all easy, but thankfully he’d been able to hear through the school grapevine someone by the name of Savah was looking for Turnan. It only took a little underground digging to find out Savah was the daughter of one of the most powerful crime lords this side of Faerun. After that it was only a matter of waiting for his chance.
‘A chance that I just lost because I was too careless.’
Folgrand drew a hand over his face, ‘I seriously doubt I’ll get another chance like that…so what can I do now?’
Folgrand heard his phone ding and looked over to it, his gut sinking as he saw the number pop up on it.
“To all my associates, we might have a rat problem and I have every intention of stomping that out before it can fester. Meet me tonight at our new hideout at seven…and I suggest not being late.”
Folgrand slammed his hand onto the center console of his truck, “Fuck!”
He knew he was done for, Mr. Green could smell a lie from a mile away. There was no way he was going to be able to hide his involvement in the trio’s appearance at the meet today.
‘Should I just bite the bullet then? Try and turn myself over to those three and hope they can help me? I mean he gave me the location on a silver platter they might be able to mobilize in time.’
Folgrand sighed, ‘Fat chance. Jarlaxle’s crew is barebones right now since we took the warehouse and I doubt the twins could get anything together in time. Guess I’ll just have to face the mus-’
His train of thought was interrupted as he heard his phone go off again, this time with a familiar ring tone that made his heart sink. He picked it up, “Hey Nath.”
He could feel his boyfriend’s smile on the other side of the phone, “Hey! Guess what?”
Folgrand couldn’t help but smile as well, “What?”
Nathmar could barely contain himself as he shouted over the phone, “We fucking won, that’s what!”
Folgrand felt his smile become a little lighter, “That’s great babe. I’m so proud of your team. I wish I could have been there.”
Nathmar seemed to calm down a little, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll tell you all about it later. We should celebrate though, you available tonight?”
Folgrand felt his heart seize, “Not tonight, got a project for one of my classes I put off a little too long.”
Nathmar didn’t even seem phased, “That’s alright. I can wait till I see you next. I gotta get back to the team, but I wanted to give you the good news before you heard it from someone else.”
Folgrand chuckled, “Babe, you know I’m always the last one to hear things.”
Nathmar laughed, “Couldn’t take the chance. Anyways gotta go. Love you, Sunshine.”
Folgrand felt a pang of guilt as he spoke, “Love you too, Beasty.”
He hung up the call, let his head fall against the chair and sighed, “He’s too good to me. I don’t deserve him.”
Folgrand shot a look at the text from Mr. Green again…and made up his mind.
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Gruff couldn’t help the smile that was present on his face as the team drove home. Not only had they won the tournament outright, they’d gotten to shut up all the doubters at the same time. That in and of itself was a win he was more than willing to celebrate. The team seemed to be right behind him as the mood was much higher as the team was excitedly talking amongst themselves, either about their own matches or the matches of their teammates.
He felt someone tap him on the shoulder and tuned back into the conversation, “Of course we can’t forget our captain’s best match…where he took down the undefeated Neverwinter champ with his own signature move!”
The whole team cheered at the reminder. Gruff smirked, “Please, he wasn’t that tough.”
Nathmar rolled his eyes, “The dude was at least a foot taller than you. You’re telling me you didn’t even have to work for it?”
Gruff shrugged, “What can I say? The bigger they are, the easier to take down.”
The team let out some jeers at that, clearly having fun with their captain’s lack of worry.
Nathmar lightly hit his shoulder, “Whatever. Hey, when we get back let’s go out for drinks yeah? I’ll take the first round.”
The team cheered at that, never one to pass up a good evening with their teammates. Gruf himself was looking forward to an evening that celebrated his team’s victory, one they had needed ever since Turnan turned traitor.
Before Gruff could settle into his chair and wait out the rest of the bus ride, he felt Nathmar tap his shoulder again, “How you feeling cap?”
Gruff shrugged, “Fine? We won, there’s no other way to feel.”
Nathmar smirked, “Good. Long as you’re not feeling like shit.”
Gruff almost let the conversation die, but remembered how Nathmar had helped him get the team ready for the meet, “Hey…thanks for helping back in the locker room. The team needed that and I guess I’m still not able to give them a proper pep talk.”
Nathmar shook his head, “Nah, you’re great at those. You just had to deal with one of the most awkward situations of all time. Most people wouldn’t have been able to do it, I just got lucky.”
Gruff shrugged, “Still, you deserve some credit for it. Thanks.”
Nathmar smirked, “No problem.”
Gruff let the conversation die there and leaned back into his chair, it was gonna be a long bus ride after all.
------------
Savah was still seething as Jarlaxle pulled into the dormitory parking lot. Mr. Green had been right there and she couldn’t seal the deal on capturing him. It was infuriating to say the least. She slammed the door as she got out of the car and began to climb the stairs of the building, Jarlaxle and Savag right behind her. Her anger hadn’t dimmed at all by the time she’d reached her dorm.
She began to pace angrily around the room, “All that effort, gone to waste. Our one lead, gone without a trace. How could we let him get away like that?”
Jarlaxle watched on, “We had no idea what kind of backup our target would have. We went in half cocked and out gunned trying to make sure our target didn’t escape and that cost us. We won’t let it happen again.”
Savah whirled on Jarlaxle, “What if we never get another chance? What if the next time we see Green, it’s when he’s putting a bullet in our skulls? What then, Jarlaxle?”
Savag stepped in, “Calm down sister-”
Savah turned on him, “Don’t you fucking start with that. You of all people should know not to tell me to calm down, especially when it comes to my friends. In fact, why are you still here? Shouldn’t you have fucked back off to whatever cave you crawled out of?”
Much to Savah’s chagrin, Savag didn’t even seem phased, “Are you done with your tantrum yet Savah? Or should I come back in another hour while our target continues to evade us?”
Savah hissed at her brother, “Fuck you.”
Savag rolled his eyes, “I’ll take that as a no. As for why I’m still here, I need access to your database. I won’t be able to trace the phone number I got the image from without it.”
Savah huffed as she pointed down a nearby hallway, “In my room, first door down that hall. Touch any of my stuff other than my computer and you’ll wish you were dead.”
Savag gave a mock bow before moving down the hallway she’d pointed out. Once she heard the door close behind him, she sighed and moved over to her sofa, sitting down on it before covering her face with her hands.
Jarlaxle chuckled lightly, “Seems he still knows how to put you in your place.”
Savah groaned, “He’s the only one who can frankly. Well, except for my father, but he’s the grand exception.”
Jarlaxle chuckled again, “Indeed. It’s still good to see you two talking again. That big fight of yours had quite a few of us worried, especially since it ended with you leaving.”
Savah let her hands fall and looked over to the Drow, “I still regret a few of the things I said that day. For as much as he’s a pain in my side…he’s still my brother. But our world just gets so crazy, and trying to make and keep personal relationships in it leads to danger nine times out of ten. I couldn’t handle that anymore…I just wish I didn’t have to give up Savag to do it.”
Jarlaxle’s expression turned serious, “So then you plan to part ways with him once this is all said and done?”
Savah nodded, “I’ll have to. I can’t live in both worlds, not just because it’s hard but because I don’t want to. I want to live as normal a life as I can. Act, sing, sew; things I can’t do without putting someone in danger if I keep my old life around.”
Jarlaxle nodded, “An admirable goal I suppose.”
Savah sighed, “One that if I want to achieve…”
------------
Savag held his breath as he heard his sister finish her sentence, “I have to say goodbye to my brother.”
Savah looked down at the ground, holding back tears. He knew he shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but it was a habit he’d learned even before he’d joined his fathers underground dealings. Still, it hurt to hear that his sister wanted out of her old life so badly she was willing to leave him behind to do it.
Savag shook his head, ‘Don’t dwell on it. She’s made her stance clear and now you know. Just push through this and get back to work.’
Savag made his way back to his sister’s computer. The password he’d tried before, one he thought she still used, hadn’t worked, but he knew she had others. It only took two more tries before he was granted access and he began to work. He pulled out a multi port cord from his pocket and plugged it into both his phone and his sister’s computer. Once the phone was connected the secret programs his sister had put into her computer began to do their work, bringing up a list of his contacts and beginning to pull up the information of each person in them. After a few minutes it got to the number he was waiting for; the one that had texted him the picture of Turnan.
Savag smirked as the program began its work, ‘Let’s see who you really are.’
The program began to do its work of scouring the internet at large and the dark web looking for any traces of the phone number’s use. After a few minutes the program began to blink a phrase at Savag, one that caused him to freeze in fear.
He quickly unplugged the phone and dashed out of the room, “Sister! You need to see this.”
Savah wasted no time in following him and was similarly struck with the same fear as she too read the words: No info found.
Savah began to stutter, “Th-That’s not possible. That program is directly linked with father’s database. N-no one should be able to hide from it.”
Savag put a hand on his sister’s shoulder, “Sister…I think we need to tell father what’s going on right now…before it’s too late.”
Before she could answer though, they both heard a knock at the door.
------------
Folgrand held his breath as he waited for an answer. He didn’t have to wait long thankfully as a familiar Drow opened the door, though not all the way.
The Drow spoke first, “May I help you?”
Folgrand decided to keep up the act until he knew Savah was nearby, “Um, I’m looking for a Savah Re’quan. I was told I could find her here.”
Jarlaxle narrowed his eyes slightly, “And who, might I ask, is looking for her?”
Folgrand swallowed heavily, knowing his next words could be the end of him, “Um, I’m in one of her classes and I was told she was the best person to come to for notes if we missed a day.”
Jarlaxle shot a look behind him and Folgrand waited in silence as he saw Jarlaxle’s brow furrow slightly. He turned back to Folgrand, “I’m afraid she’s out right now, you can come back later if you like…or you can stop lying and tell me the real reason you’re here.”
Folgrand winced, “Guess that was a pretty poor excuse, huh? Worth a shot at least. I need to talk to Savah about…our world.”
Jarlaxle raised an eyebrow, “And who might I ask, do you represent in our world?”
Folgrand sighed, “In for a penny I guess. Mr. Green.”
Before Folgrand could blink, Jarlaxle had grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the room. Folgrand heard the door slam behind him as Jarlaxle threw him to the floor. Turning around, he saw Jarlaxle standing above him, knife in hand, but keeping it to his side. Jarlaxle looked equal parts amused and pissed as he looked down at Folgrand, “Well then, I suppose you saved us the trouble of finding one of you.”
Jarlaxle fixed a hard look at Folgrand, “Now then, why don’t you tell me why that bastard sent you before I cut out your tongue?”
Folgrand put a hand in front of him, “He doesn’t know I’m here, I promise.”
Jarlaxle raised an eyebrow, “And I should believe you why?”
Folgrand played the only card he thought would work, “Because I’m the one who sent you the photo of Turnan at the wrestling meet.”
Jarlaxle didn’t seem impressed, “You mean our botched operation? How can I be sure you aren’t the reason we failed?”
Folgrand was panicking at this point, “My phone! You can check it, it’ll prove I’m telling the truth.”
Jarlaxle seemed to accept this, “Pass it over, unlocked if you please.”
Folgrand didn’t hesitate to take his phone out of his pocket and pass it over to the Drow. Jarlaxle looked through it for a few minutes, each second ticking by feeling like an eternity to Folgrand. When he was finished he looked off to the side, “Seems he’s telling the truth.”
Folgrand followed his gaze to see the Re’quan twins standing in the hall, glaring daggers at him. Savah spoke up, “Then I guess the only question is: what are you doing here?”
------------
Nathmar sighed as the bus finally pulled into the school parking lot. For all that he was used to uncomfortable drives, the bus always felt like a unique brand of torture you could never really be prepared for. He knew he wasn’t the only one who felt that way as he watched his teammates shuffle off the bus in various states of annoyance.
Coach Galoril called everyone’s attention to himself once they were off the bus, “Alright team, you know the drill; once you have your things you’re free to go. I just want to take a moment to say how proud I am of all of you. You not only had to face adversity from your opponents today, but from the audience as well and you were still able to come out on top. I know losing a teammate is never easy, but you all still performed admirably. Get some rest, you all more than deserved it.”
Nathmar lightly cheered at the end of the coach’s speech, more than ready to crash onto his mattress and sleep the rest of the weekend away. Quickly grabbing his stuff from the bus, he looked around for Gruff figuring it was better to walk together than alone. It didn’t take the Shifter long, even among the other wrestlers Gruff stood out, and he quickly moved over to his captain’s side.
He clapped the Half-Orc on the shoulder, “How you feeling buddy?”
Gruff shrugged the hand off of him, “Tired, so keep quiet or walk by yourself.”
Nathmar chuckled, “Harsh. Whatever, I’ll keep quiet if you want.”
Gruff seemed relieved, “Thank Umberlee, you have an off switch.”
Nathmar laughed, “More like a mute button. Besides, don’t want you too worn out to not go drinking with us later.”
Gruff smirked, “Yeah, like that'll ever happen. Pretty sure the team would laugh me right off the mat if I ever skipped out on drinks with them.”
Nathmar put his hands behind his head, “Nah, they’d just worry about whether you’d need to go back to the hospital.”
Gruff looked over to Nathmar, “We going to the usual place?”
Nathmar shrugged, “Dunno, we didn’t really talk about it. Frankly, I think we should try somewhere else. No need to get harassed while we’re trying to enjoy ourselves and there’s no way we don’t if we go to the usual place.”
Gruff rolled his eyes, “Let me guess, you’ve already got the ‘perfect place’ for us to go to instead.”
Nathmar smirked, “Saw right through me did ya? Look, just because you didn’t like going to the Siren’s Lair doesn't mean it’s a bad place. We don’t even have to tell the others about the karaoke, just hang out on the first floor. Hell they might actually appreciate our drunken singing, unlike the usual place.”
Gruff sighed, “...put the idea out there. But for the record I'm against this.”
Nathmar smirked and pulled out his phone, “Hey, there’s no way it could be as bad as the last time you went there.”
Gruff huffed, “Don’t you fucking jinx it, asshole.”
Nathmar lightly laughed, “Didn’t take you for the superstitious type.”
Gruff shook his head, “I’m not, just making sure you know that if I get stabbed again, it’s your fault.”
Nathmar faux saluted, “Aye aye captain.”
Gruff rolled his eyes, “I still hate it when you say that.”
Nathmar chuckled, “Yeah, that’s why I keep saying it. C’mon we should get some rest before the others wanna go out.”
Gruff nodded, “Right behind you.”
------------
Savah looked Folgrand up and down, trying to gauge how much of what he’d said was true and what was a lie. She gave him an unimpressed look, “Let me see if I’ve got this straight. You made a bad deal with Green a while ago and now because of your new boyfriend you want out?”
Folgrand blushed, “Bit of an oversimplification, but sure.”
Savah sighed, “You can see why I’m reluctant to trust you right?”
Folgrand sighed as well, “Look I know it doesn't make sense, but it’s the truth.”
Savag spoke up this time, “Let’s assume everything you’ve told us is true, you still haven’t told us why you’re here.”
Folgrand looked over the three of them, “Because Mr. Green knows someone in his group let you three know where Turnan was and I can’t lie to save my life. So I figured I’d give him up to you guys on the off chance you could do something about him.”
That got Savah’s attention, “You know where he’s going to be?”
Folgran nodded, “He told us to meet him at the new warehouse at seven.”
Savah looked to Savag and Jarlaxel, the latter of whom shook his head, “I don’t have enough men in town yet to make up the numbers we’ll likely need if things go south.”
Savah was biting on his thumbnail, “And I doubt trying to get ahold of father would result in a better result.”
Savah felt herself getting angry, “Come on, there has to be something we can do. We can’t let this opportunity pass us by.’
Jarlaxle frowned, “We might have one option…but I know you’re not going to like it Savah.”
Savah already felt her heart sink, “Please don’t say what I think you will.”
Jarlaxle sighed and nodded, “I think we have to call upon the Von Raptures.”
Notes:
You know if you told me two years ago I'd be writing a long form high school AU that veers so far into a criminal underworld it almost entirely looses the original plot...frankly I wouldn't be that surprised since ADHD ruins everything in my life, lol. Ah well, we'll see if I can wrap this up in a satisfying manner. Have a good one y'all, see you next month.
Chapter 30: Chapter 30
Notes:
Howdy...I've got some explaining to do don't I? Truly I did not mean for this update to be so late, but writer's block and a general sense of not knowing what I'm doing let this drag on longer than I expected it to. Work and moving taking most of my time did not help matters either. But the chapter is here now, just in time for me to head out of my area for family vacation.
Customary thank you to my lovely DM without whom I doubt I'd have even gotten as far as chapter 10. You're a real one my guy. Enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Savah scowled as Jarlaxle drove through the gates that led to the nearest mansion owned by the Von Rapture family. The three story, off black building screaming of a family that wanted to let everyone know they were better than them. As Jarlaxle pulled into a driveway filled to the brim with cars most people could only dream of owning, she did a quick mental count, scowl deepening once she got over twenty. She hated dealing with the Von Rapture family on the best of days, but with her combination of feelings being pissed and scared it was already worse.
Jarlaxle shot her a side glance, “Trust me, if I could avoid this I would, but he’s our best option since the Von Rapture’s are based here. You don’t have to say anything, just be here to show how serious the problem is.”
Savah growled, “Fine, but I swear to the gods if he makes a move towards me I'm using his own entrails to hang him.”
Jarlaxle smirked, “I’ll keep watch for you.”
Satisfied, the pair got out of the car and made the trek up the driveway towards the front door. Savah took a minute to observe her surroundings (something that had stuck with her no matter how many times she tried to break the habit). The grounds themselves were immaculately kept, not a single blade of grass or leaf out of place. The fountain statues depicting what Savah assumed were notable members of the family were also polished to a blinding shine and even the stone basins looked as if they’d never been touched by the elements. As they drew closer Savah noticed the wooden door that towered over them was being opened, and on the other side stood a well dressed Elf.
He bowed as the pair approached, “Greetings Master Jarlaxle and Mistress Savah. The young master has been expecting your arrival. Please come in.”
Savah kept her scowl to herself as they crossed the threshold, the Elf closing the door behind them. He turned towards the pair, “Allow me to guide you to the dining area. The young master insisted this business be conducted over a meal. May I have your steak preferences?”
Jarlaxle seemed surprised at the offer, “A medium well filet if you would be so kind.”
The Eld nodded and turned to Savah, “And for you madam?”
Savah drew upon the years of etiquette training she received to keep herself from throwing up, “I’m afraid steak and I don’t agree much. Is there any fish that might be prepared instead?”
The Elf nodded, “Of course, the young master expected such a dietary restriction and had us make ready our most recent catches. Any particular kind you wish for us to prepare?”
Savah hated feeling predictable but kept it to herself, “I’ll take any kingfish you have. As for how it can be prepared, I'll allow the chef to choose.”
The Elf nodded, “Very good then. This way if you please.”
Jarlaxle and Savah moved to follow behind the Elf who led them through several hallways with portraits of both older family members and the current family residing there. Each hall had dozens of windows but all of them were shuttered, leaving them in the dim artificial light.
Savah’s curiosity must have been noticed by the Elf because he looked over his shoulder at her, “The masters don’t care for sunlight, but do enjoy the sight of the grounds at night. A conundrum to be sure, but one the staff is used to at this point.”
Savah nodded in acknowledgement and continued to follow the Elf through hallway after hallway. Sooner than expected the pair were brought before a giant set of wooden doors and waited as the slowly opened from the inside, revealing a well decorated dining hall with a singular table with one person sitting at the head farest from them, a person Savah would give her arm up for if it meant she never had to interact with him again.
Vernon von Rapture smiled, “Well then, it seems my guests of honor have arrived.”
------------
Jarlaxle shot a glance over to Savah, mentally grateful she seemed to be holding it together with Vernon now being in the room. He watched as the man in question stood up from his chair and made his way over to them.
He reached out a hand to Jarlaxle once he’d reached them, “Mr. Baenre, a pleasure.”
He then turned to Savah and took her offered hand, “And Ms. Re’quan, always a pleasure.”
Jarlaxle held back a smirk at seeing Savah’s eyebrow twitch, knowing Vernon was quite likely one more misplaced word from seeing how deadly a Re’quan was. He put that aside as Vernon stepped back slightly, “Let’s sit down, you said we had much to discuss.”
Jarlaxle nodded as he followed behind Vernon. He took a moment to take in the room's decor; the high ceiling, the drawn black curtains but the immediate draw was the portrait of the current Von Rapture family sitting over a fireplace, each of them glowing down like they knew you were there in the room and of lower station. Jarlaxle rolled his eyes as they approached the end of the table, annoyed as always at the overconfidence of nobility.
Vernon gestured towards two seats at the table that had been prepared for the two of them, both of them on Vernon’s right side, “Please have a seat, our meals should be brought out soon.”
Jarlaxle took the seat closer to Vernon, waiting to make sure Savah would have to work for it if she tried to kill Vernon. Vernon didn’t seem to care as he looked over to the two of them, “So, you only told me the matter was of great importance, but not what the matter itself was. Care to enlighten me?”
Jarlaxle took the lead, “I’m sure you’ve heard of the new comer Mr. Green, yes?”
Vernon nodded, “I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone in our world that hasn’t at this point. Of course father isn’t concerned in the least, our operation is the tightest in the region. No doubt he’ll fail where all these up and comers do.”
Jarlaxle grimaced, not enjoying what he’d have to reveal next, “I’m afraid you might want to put more stock into his operation…as it currently has left mine in shambles.”
This seemed to surprise Vernon, “Well then, how did this occur?”
Jarlaxle felt his hands clench into fists as he spoke, “He approached my men in an attempt to coerce them to his side, then killed them when they refused to. I was only able to find out from my second after he’d barely escaped Green’s muscle.”
Vernon settled further into his chair, “Interesting…but that still doesn't explain why you’re here about to ask for a favor.”
Savah surprised Jarlaxle by speaking up, “Because we might have a chance to take him out at the knees tonight if we move quickly enough.”
Vernon leaned forward, “Do tell.”
Savah continued, “One of their more morally inclined members contacted us today telling us Green would be meeting with his subordinates later tonight to discuss a rat problem. They’ve agreed to give us the location in exchange for his safety from Green’s retaliation.”
Vernon raised an eyebrow, “And I’m assuming you need my help because even your father wouldn’t be able to mobilize fast enough to ensure the capture, am I correct? My my, how desperate you must be to ask me for help Ms. Re’quan.”
Jarlaxle saw Savah’s jaw clench, most likely to prevent herself from releasing a scathing remark. Jarlaxle took over, “You are correct Vernon; we are desperate. Mr. Green has evaded our attempts to pin him down for too long and we simply lack the man power to try and compete with him should we attempt to capture him tonight. So we are swallowing our pride to come here today and ask for your help.”
Varnon smirked, “Well I believe you Jarlaxle, but I’m not sure I believe the Snake Queen wants my help.”
Jarlaxle almost made a remark of his own, but Savah’s hand on his shoulder kept him from doing so. He watched her swallow heavily before speaking, “Vernon…as the former heiress to the Re’quan family I humbly ask you for your assistance. People I care for are being hurt by Mr. Green’s actions and I need your help to make sure they are safe. So from the bottom of my heart…please help us.”
Vernon seemed to think on it, before smiling “You will have my answer before our meal is through.”
------------
Nathmar was smiling as he got ready for the team hangout. The rest of the team weren’t exactly enthusiastic about going to a new bar, but they agreed they weren’t looking to get harassed when they were celebrating their victory either so they went along with Nathmar’s plan. Nathmar for his part was just looking forward to spending time with his team again, since the last time they’d been able to was before Turnan’s ‘incident’.
‘This should be a good way to get everyone’s mind away from that. Good drinks, good friends; perfect recipe for forgetting something painful.’
Thoughts cautiously optimistic, Nathmar grabbed his wallet, keys and headed for Gruff’s room to make sure the Half-Orc was getting ready. He surprises Nathmar however by already waiting on the couch, clearly having been ready for some time.
Nathmar smirked, “Huh, didn’t think I’d see the day you were ready before me.”
Gruff shrugged, “Woke up a little earlier than expected, sue me.”
Nathmar held his hands up in surrender, “Hey, no complaints here. Let’s get going.”
Gruff nodded as he got up from the couch and followed Nathmar out the door of their dorm room. Nathmar took a second to lock the door before the pair moved towards the nearby elevators. As they neared the elevator doors opened and out stepped a familiar Elf with dark green hair.
Therumani nodded as she passed, “Yo.”
Nathmar nodded as well, “Sup.”
Therumani stopped, “Heading out for the night?”
Nathmar nodded again, “Yep, gonna celebrate our win tonight with the team.”
Therumani nodded in respect, “Nice. Well, have a good one.”
Nathmar waved as he and Gruff moved to catch the elevator before it closed, “You too.”
As he entered the elevator, he quickly pressed the button for the ground floor before leaning against the wall, Gruff doing the same across from him. He looked over to him, “How’s tutoring going by the way? Especially with you having a major now.”
Gruff shrugged, “Fine. Feru’ma’s good at what she does. Pretty sure I won’t need her help anymore after this semester ends.”
Nathmar let out a low whistle, “Will the headmaster let you get out of it though? I know the play is only for the semester, but tutoring feels like something she’s gonna want to stick with permanently.”
Gruff shrugged, “It was a package deal, pretty sure she’ll let me do my own thing if my scores are high enough. If she doesn't, well there’s worse people to be stuck with I guess.”
Nathmar smiled at hearing that, “Glad you’re fine sticking around with a nerd like her.”
Gruff scoffed, “Be a pretty big hypocrite at this point if I wasn’t. I’m willingly taking acting tips from Jhison these days.”
Nathmar looked up at the ceiling, “Speaking of which, we’re coming up on opening night pretty quick here yeah? You think you’ll be ready?”
Gruff made a ‘so-so’ motion with his hand, “Maybe? All the memorization is killing me honestly. I can kinda do it with the songs because they’ve got the rhythm and rhyming and shit, but the rest is…boring and annoying I guess.”
Nathmar chuckled, “Never let anyone say you aren’t brutally honest. Though there’s probably a few people in the club who’d agree with you to some level.”
Gruff smirked, “Ari would I bet.”
Nathmar barked out a laugh, “Yeah, but to be fair, if it isn’t about tech she doesn't really give a shit about it.”
Guff huffed, “Swear I’m gonna kick that bunny to the Nine Hells if she shocks me with it.”
Nathmar laughed again, “Pretty sure she'd actually kill you for that. I wouldn’t put it past her to have a tub of acid in some remote location she puts people who piss her off.”
Gruff smirked, “She can try.”
The conversation died out as the elevator doors opened again and they stepped into the lobby of the temporary dorm buildings. They weren’t too surprised to see a few people were already waiting for them. Oak was among them, checking their phone while leaning against the wall.
Nathmar went over to them, “This everyone?”
Oak looked up before shaking their head, “We should have a few more people coming.”
Nathmar looked over the group, of the fifteen members of the team only nine had shown up so far. Nathmar turned back to Oak, “Did everyone say they were coming?”
Oak shook their head again, “A few had projects they had to stay behind to work on. At best we have two more showing up.”
Nathmar turned to look at Gruff, “What do you think, cap?”
Gruff thought for a moment before speaking, “We’ll head over now and let them catch up if they want to.”
Nathmar nodded, “You heard the man, let’s get moving.”
------------
Savah hated to admit it, but she’d missed the finer aspect of dining she’d gotten to enjoy while working under her after. She was taught to cook of course in case she found herself stranded somewhere or needed to preserve her finances, but there was a difference between what she could do and what a professional chef who had all the ingredients they could want could. As such, she briefly wondered if asking for seconds would be a faux pas before deciding it likely wouldn’t be worth staying longer in Vernon’s company for it.
Said man wiped his mouth with a napkin before speaking, “I’ve decided to convince father to help you. However I have two things I want in exchange for these services.”
Jarlaxle nodded, “Should they be within our power, we will have no problem fulfilling your requests.”
Vernon smirked as he leaned his head against his hand, “Oh I’m certain this should be no trouble for you. For my first request, I want to have your aid for a special job my father can absolutely not know about. It’s a frivolous task and you know how he hates wasting his time and resources on paltry things.”
Jarlaxle chuckled, “Very well, you will only need call on me and my crew when the time comes. I assume I won’t get to know the details of the job today?”
Vernon waved his words off, “It isn’t for some time. Besides, I assume you still need time to regrow your resources, yes? I have no interest in working with a crippled Bregan D'aerthe.”
Savah saw Jarlaxle’s jaw clench slightly at the dig, but kept his composure all the same, “I see. Thank you for the time to rebuild.”
Vernon’s smirk never fell, “Of course.” Then Savah felt her skin crawl as his gaze turned to her, “As for you my dear, I have only a simple favor to request of you: use your skills to convince Neverember I should be allowed back into the drama club. A small thing surely for someone like you, yes? Especially since my banishment was unwarranted in the first place.”
Savah nearly lost it on him, but a wicked pinch from Jarlaxle quickly reminded her of who she was dealing with and she forced herself to hold back the scathing words she wanted to, “...Certainly Vernon. I will use all of my skills to convince Mr. Neverember you’ve turned over a new leaf. I have no doubt you’ll be reinstated by next semester.”
Vernon clapped his hands together, “Well then, it seems we have an accord. All I need now are the details of your plan and this will be all settled.”
Savah decided she was not needed for this part and moved to stand up, “If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the washroom.”
Vernon nodded, “Of course, one of the servants should be able to show you the way.”
Savah gave a small curtsy before moving towards the doors they’d entered the dining room through. She found the Elf who’d greeted them on the other side and with a quick exchange was brought to a nearby washroom that provided Savah all the privacy she needed…to scream.
She glared daggers at her reflection in the full length mirror that hung above the sinks, “That MOTHER FUCKER. Using my skills for HIM? It would have been less insulting if he’d told me to date him, at least then I could have control on him, but no this pompous FUCKER…”
She turned away from the mirror, still fuming, “I swear if he hadn’t agreed to help us I would throw him into an actual snake pit. Fucker deserves it.”
She brought her hands up and began to massage her temple, “It’s fine, you just have to half ass it. No way in the Nine Hells Mr. Neverember would take him back anyway. Just breathe Savah.”
She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. Once she felt her heart rate go back down and her body slacken she opened them again and saw her reflection and for all the raggedness of her appearance, she couldn’t help but smirk, “Here she is world: the fabled Savah Re’quan, the Snake Queen, losing her mind over a simple drama club. How the mighty have fallen.”
She sighed before leaning against the wall and sliding down it to the floor, “How did I get here? I thought I’d be done with all of this when I left.”
She looked up at the ceiling as memories of her last day home began to flash in her mind. Her father, looking at her with only disappointment in his eyes. Her brother, fury at her plain on his face. Faces she had thought she’d long forgotten all of the sudden bombarding her, begging for attention.
Savah struggled to keep her breathing under control, “No. Father said it clearly that day: ‘No regrets, because we won’t take you back’. Don’t falter just because it’s getting hard. You’ve built yourself back up from the ground up, you’ve proven you can live a normal life. Just get this over with and you can go back to that. Back to school, back to sewing, back to your dream and no one else's.”
She picked herself up off the ground and faced her reflection in the mirror again, “You can do this.”
She began to fix herself in the mirror, “Gods look at me, all this for a drama club, huh?”
She felt herself smile, “Then again…wouldn’t trade them for the world either.”
------------
Gruff felt his grin grow wider as he saw Oak and Nathmar with their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders. For all that he’d expected the night to be terrible, he had to admit he was having fun. The first floor of The Siren’s Lair was leagues better than the one above it. The food was incredible, the music wasn’t too loud so he could actually hear his teammates and everyone around them was being just as loud as they were. All in all, it felt like they were at a party instead of a bar. The kind where it didn’t matter who you were outside the building as long as you came to have fun.
Gruff downed the last of his ale before raising it in the direction of a passing waitress, “Another one!”
The Minotaur smirked, “Sure thing hun, be right back.”
One of the team members spoke up, “Dude, we’ve gotta make this our usual spot. This place is way better than the last one.”
Oak nodded, “Agreed. How’d you find this place Nathmar?”
Nathmar laughed, “Just went bar hopping the other week and came across this place. It was cool so I thought I’d bring it up.”
Oak raised their glass, “Well you chose well. To Nathmar and The Siren’s Lair!”
The whole team cheered with some nearby people joining in, high on the energy. Gruff held up his glass that had just been refilled and downed about half the glass in one swig. The ale they had was delicious and was making him want to come here alone just to keep drinking it. He settled into his seat, content to watch his team enjoy themselves for a well won victory.
“Hey where’s that staircase lead to?”
A simple sentence, but one that made Gruff’s blood run cold. He could not let them find out about the karaoke floor, or he’d definitely get dragged up there. Before he could say anything though, Nathamr jumped in, “No idea, pretty sure it’s off limits though. I haven’t seen anyone-”
Before the Shifter could finish the sentence everyone saw two customers begin to make their way up, with no need for clearance or anything.
Gruff frowned, ‘Well fuck.’
The teammate who’d noticed the stairs in the first place began to make their way over, “C’mon, I’ll bet they’ve got bar games up there. I bet I’d kick all your asses at them.”
Nathmar shot a look over to Gruff, who could only shrug, ‘Can’t stop them now.’
The rest of the team began to follow their eager member up the stairs and Gruff could only count down until they reached the top and his fate was sealed. Once they reached the top Gruff sighed as the door closest to them was opened to reveal the lavish karaoke set up and as their eager member began to shout in excitement, he could only ask Umberlee for mercy.
------------
Vernon von Rapture watched satisfied as Jarlaxle and Savah drove away from his father’s estate. The details were final now and all he had to do was sit back and wait for Green to be captured. His men were given the strictest of instructions to follow Jarlaxle’s plan to the letter, lest they find themselves in a grave still conscious and none of them dared to oppose him.
‘Shame though, Green was looking to be a profitable investment, but he’s growing too quickly to stick with. Much safer to be on the winning side I say.’
He began speaking aloud as he picked up a dart, “Besides, those two have already agreed to my terms, meaning…”
He threw the dart into a dartboard on the other side of the room…one with a picture of Jhison in the center, the newly thrown dart sitting square in the Human’s forehead, “I’ll have my revenge against you soon enough Jhison.”
Notes:
Slowly we're reaching the endgame, the pieces are all nearly in place for the curtain to rise...and for someone to fall. Thanks for reading and I'll catch you next month.
Chapter 31: Chapter 31
Notes:
...hi. Radio silence for a month is probably not a good look...and I also don't have a very good reason for it. Inspiration was lacking, but fortunately I got a burst of creative inspiration and wrote everything in one night...not my best idea but hey it resulted in a new chapter so we take the W's where we can.
Either way, customary thank you to the DM for putting up with my shenanigans in game and out of it and I hope you enjoy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Folgrand took a deep breath as he entered into the warehouse Mr. Green had called them all to. This was it; his chance to finally be rid of the Firbolg and maybe get to live something of a normal life. Maybe he’d be locked up alongside him, maybe he’d lose his chance at Waterdeep University…maybe he would lose Nathmar, but in this moment all that mattered was making sure he played his part and helped get Mr. Green into the hands of people who could do something to him.
Folgrand steeled his resolve as he made his way over to where other members of Green’s operation were gathering. He saw there wasn’t a lot of conversation happening, but there were glances coming from every corner of the space, glances that all held the same question: Who’s the rat? Folgrand did his best to keep calm and look like he had no idea what would happen tonight, or at least what could happen.
Folgrand closed his eyes, going over his part in the plan, ‘Once Green begins his interrogation, I have to press on the wire up my sleeve. Once they get that signal, it’ll be five minutes before they come in. If anything happens that could make the plan fail, I need to type “S” on the wire to let them know to be careful. If everything goes the way we want it to, he’ll be in the hands of the Von Raptures.’
Folgrand sighed to himself, ‘Just keep calm. You’ve got the easy job.’
Folgrand’s thoughts were cut off as familiar footsteps were heard coming onto the catwalk across from him. There he was, dressed in the suit he was known for, Mr. Green. As usual the Firbolg was smiling, like this was a small formality and not the proverbial execution of one the people gathered here.
Mr. Green clapped his hands together to call attention to himself prompting Folgrand to press on the wire, “Well then friends, let’s get this little get together started. Now I know my message probably was very worrying to hear. I mean, a rat in our midst? Unthinkable. But alas, our newest member was found out in a way that only could have been possible if his location was given away. So that means it had to be someone that knew we’d be granting him leave to go see his old team…and had the means to contact people who could capture him.”
Mr. Green began to pace along the catwalk, “Thankfully, that number is very small so I don't have to do much to find out who our mysterious rat is, but it still pains me that I have to lose a member of our little band. I like to think of all of you as family, and to have one of you betray me, well it breaks my heart. Now, I’ll give our misguided family member a chance to come forward. If they give themselves up, I might consider sparing them. You haven’t damaged the operation after all, but I need you to understand I don’t take kindly to traitors.”
Mr. Green spread his hands towards the gathered members of his band, “Now, why don’t you make this easy on all of us and come forward?”
For a split second, Folgrand wanted to go forward. For all that he’d already risked, there was a part of him that still feared the Firbolg above any God or mortal in Faerun. A part that thought he might actually be able to win back Mr. Green’s favor if he told him everything, including about the ambush that had already begun to move. But just as he began to open his mouth, he remembered something: Nathmar. The Shifter who’d reminded him what the light could feel like after spending what felt like forever in the darkness. And that brought Folgrand back to his senses, because he knew even if he gave up the ambush, he’d never be able to keep that one bit of light he’d come to love so much.
However, just as he’d made his decision he realized a heavy pair of eyes were on him. Slowly, he turned to see Mr. Green looking right at him, “Something to say Folgrand?”
Folgrand shook his head, “No sir. Just thinking.”
Mr. Green tiled his head, “Oh? Well go on then, why don’t you share your thoughts with us?”
Folgrand lightly chuckled, trying to keep the fear he was feeling hidden, “Just wondering what I might get my boyfriend for our one month anniversary, sir. It’s coming up pretty quick.”
Mr. Green’s smile seemed to grow a little, “Well isn’t that sweet? A bit inappropriate considering the situation though, don’t you think? You wouldn’t be trying to lie to me, right boy?”
Folgrand shook his head again, “I wouldn’t dream of it sir. Everyone knows you’re the king of lie detection.”
Mr. Green nodded, “Indeed…so then let me rephrase my question: why are you trying to lie to me boy?”
Folgrand didn’t even fight the hands that descended upon him, knowing it was no use as they brought him to the center of the area and forced him to his knees. He winced as he looked up, the lights of the warehouse blinding him, but when they cleared he saw that even despite the situation…Mr. Green was still smiling.
Mr. Green sighed as he shook his head, “Folgrand, Folgrand, Folgrand; after all I’ve done to help you, how could you betray me like this?”
Folgrand laughed as he let his head fall and his eyes close, “Help, huh? I guess you would call it help and not extortion. That’s what this is to you; just a big family with you as the head of the household, right? Anytime you step in, it’s help. Anytime we step out of line, betraying the family or breaking your heart. Maybe you were breaking our hearts anytime you forced us to do your dirty work, ever think about that?”
Folgrand heard Mr. Green’s tone turn sour, “Watch your tone boy.”
Folgrand looked up and saw, finally, the smile was gone, “If it weren’t for me you’d be at the beck and call of someone else. I did help you. I gave you a chance at getting your life back together and if all I want is a little help with my work in exchange for that, don’t you think I’m entitled to that? Or are you just another ungrateful brat that needs to be taught a lesson?”
Folgrand knew what his situation was…and yet couldn’t help the laughter that escaped his mouth, “A lesson huh? Oh I’ve already learned plenty of lessons. In fact the one I took to heart you taught me the first day we met: always pick the winning side.”
Before Mr. Green could respond, the moment Folgrand was waiting for happened: and all the lights went dark.
------------
Jarlaxle had to give credit where it was due. Folgrand had not only given them ample time to get into position, he’d also provided a perfect moment to move on. Jarlaxle smirked, ‘Perhaps a little cheesy, but I’ve always been a sucker for set up lines. Now then.’
Jarlaxle immediately began to move towards where Mr. Green was standing, relying on the Firbolg’s lack of Darkvision to help him as he moved behind him, “Hello there, Green.”
Jarlaxle was easily able to avoid the blind swing Mr. Green threw at him and used the extended arm as a way to get behind him, then pinned the arm to the Firbolg’s head and wrapped his arms around Green’s neck, choking him. Jarlaxle spoke then, “I want you to know this is very much personal Green. No one kills the members of Bregan D'aerthe and gets away with it.”
Mr. Green let out a choked out laugh, “I-I’m af-araid th-at won’-t be t-th-e ca-se to-day e-ei-ther.”
Jarlaxle tightened the hold, “And I’m afraid you don’t understand the position you’re in. Listen closely, do you hear anything?”
Mr. Green stopped struggling slightly and heard what Jarlaxle was expecting: nothing. Jarlaxle dragged the Firbolg over to the railing of the catwalk, “Turn the lights back on!”
The lights came back on and as everyone’s eyes adjusted, Jarlaxle smiled seeing that the plan had been carried out perfectly. Each member of Green’s band was incapacitated and standing over them was the team Vernon had given them. Jarlaxle could tell the outcome wasn’t easy by some of the bruises his team had collected, but it was a clear victory for them.
Jarlaxle spoke in a low tone, “Do you see now Green? You reached too far and poked the wrong bears. Now you’ll be paying for each life you took.”
Mr. Green began to struggle again, but it only made Jarlaxle tighten his hold on the Firbolg again, “Oh no you don’t. Keep struggling like that and you’ll only pass out faster. And I want you to see your kingdom fall, the kingdom built on the backs of my dead comrades.”
Jarlaxle watched as Mr. Green seemed to finally grasp the situation: he’d lost and there was nothing he could do. However, before Jarlaxle could enjoy the feeling of victory he’d earned…he felt something come into contact with his head and he blacked out.
------------
Turnan breathed heavily as he watched both Jarlaxle and Mr. Green fall to the ground, the Firbolg in question coughing heavily, grasping at his throat. Turnan didn’t wait as he threw down the bat he was holding and grabbed Mr. Green, dragging the Firbolg as he began to make his way to the other side of the warehouse in a desperate attempt to escape with only thing separating him from a cold jail cell.
Turnan picked up the pace as he heard movement from the group Jarlaxle had brought along with him. He looked at the Firbolg, “Come on Green, get it together! We’re dead if you don’t!”
Mr. Green could only cough as he struggled to keep pace with Turnan. Turnan growled as he began to try and lose their pursuers. However, no matter which way he turned, it felt as though there was someone waiting for them along each path. Soon though, he found an escape that wasn’t guarded and began to put all of his strength into getting there before that changed. Luckily for him, Jarlaxle’s men had apparently never gone up against someone both strong and fast, because he was able to blast through the door he’d found and was able to run down the stairs leading to the nearby alleyways unabated.
Turnan didn’t stop running even after the warehouse was no longer in sight, not trusting that he wasn’t being pursued. As he turned yet another corner, he heard Mr. Green at his side, “K- *cough* keep g-going for-*cough*-forward.”
Turnan did as he was told and after a certain point Mr. Green spoke up again, “L-left now. Stop *cough* at th-the first *cough* door you s-see.”
Turnan didn’t know where they were going, but he knew if he stopped they’d get caught so he did as Mr. Green told him. Once they reached the door Mr. Green stepped away from him with a key in his hand. Quickly moving, the door was unlocked and Mr. Green pushed Turnan into the building the door was attached to. Taking a moment to gauge his surroundings, Turnan saw they were in a small office that seemed closed off to the rest of the world. There was a fairly large desk as well as a small kitchenette, fridge and a few other pieces of small furniture.
Turnan moved further in, “What’s this place?”
Mr. Green struggled to clear his throat, “My *cough* office. Be grateful you’re not here to *cough* die boy.”
Turnan turned and saw Mr. Green move towards the kitchenette. Moving slowly, the Firbolg began to pull out a kettle and teapot. He coughed before addressing Turnan, “Sit *cough* down boy, *cough* this will take a minute.”
Turnan did as he was told, taking a cautious seat as he didn’t want to accidentally overstep. As Mr. Green began making tea for himself, Turnan took a moment to take in the office in more detail. There wasn’t much, clearly this was meant to be easy to move away from, but there was a photo on the wall of a younger Mr. Green, suitless for the first time Turnan could remember, surrounded by others including a burly Minotaur wearing a suit much like the one the Firbolg did today, though it was red in color.
Turnan heard Mr. Green speak up, “That was my old crew. We weren’t very large, but we were good at what we did. Best bank robbers the south side of Faerun ever saw.”
Turnan decided to take a chance and asked, “What happened?”
Mr. Green scoffed, “My boss got too old for the gigs. So I decided to try and take his place, but he didn’t take too kindly to my trying to put a knife between his ribs. He didn’t finish the job though. I got away and turned the rest of them in. Last I heard, the boss was dead and everyone else is behind bars. Good riddance I say.”
Turnan stayed silent as Mr. Green took a seat at his desk, teacup in hand and sporting an ugly purple bruise along his neck, “Now why don’t we talk about why you decided to save me instead of selling me up the river alongside Folgrand?”
Turnan looked at the floor, but before he could speak Mr. Green spoke with anger in his voice, “Look at me boy. You had the balls to drag me along with you, make sure your spine is intact too and look at me when you talk.”
Turnan decided now wasn’t the time to play games with the Firbolg and looked at him, “I…I don’t know.”
Mr. Green raised an eyebrow, “You don’t know? You risked landing in further trouble with the law and the underworld on a godsdamn whim? Try again boy, and if you don’t have an answer this time then those people will be the least of your problems.”
Turnan swallowed, “I…I…I just can’t go back. I’m on the wrong side no matter what, even if I were the one to turn you in, the only thing that’s waiting for me is a jail cell. So if the choice is jail or backing you up…then I guess I at least want to pick the option where I get to see the sunlight still.”
The silence in the room was deafening. Turnan counted each second that passed until Mr. Green said, “Good.”
Turnan was surprised to hear that, “What?”
Mr. Green scowled, “I didn’t stutter boy. That attitude of yours is essential in this life of ours, because if you can’t think far ahead you’ll find yourself dead before you can even begin.”
Turnan watched as Mr. Green walked around his desk and stood in front of him, “These bastards have taken a large part of my operation down now because of who they’ve captured, but as long as I'm still breathing I can take it all back. And with your help, I think I can take it back even faster. So, Turnan, what’s say you become more than just a grunt and become my right hand man?”
Turnan’s eyes widened in surprise, “What?”
Mr. Green chuckled, “You need to clean your ears better, Turnan. You’ve got everything you need to become a true player in the underworld game. With my guidance you’ll be just as much of a terror as Jarlaxle Baenrae or the Von Rapture family. Hell, I think you could even make the great Sa’til Re’quan quiver with enough time. So, what’ll it be, Turnan? Forever on the run, or sitting at the table as a king?”
Turnan looked at the hand in front of him…and took it.
------------
Jarlaxle scowled as he held the icepack he was given to his head and watched as each member of Mr. Green’s gang was brought into the Von Rapture mansion. While the mission had technically been a success, not having Green in custody or knowing where he was left a bad taste in the Drow’s mouth. Still, Vernon proved to still be a valuable ally as he let Jarlaxle keep a small crew out on the streets looking for Mr. Green or Turnan in the hope that they could be found before they could regroup.
The man in question came up to him, “Well done indeed Jarlaxle. I’ll make sure these brutes are kept safe. Can’t get information from dead men after all.”
Jarlaxle nodded, “I’ll send word to Sa’til. Something tells me he’s going to want to be there for the interrogations.”
Vernon nodded as well, “And I’ll let my father know as well. He may not be able to join us, but he’ll at least want to know about the status of our enemies. Why don’t you head home? That wound isn’t going to nurse itself after all.”
Jarlaxle nodded once more, “You’re not wrong. Hopefully my daughter hasn’t gotten herself in trouble in my absence.”
Vernon chuckled, “Take care then Jarlaxle.”
Jarlaxle waved then began to make his way to his car, having driven it here before the raid. He set the ice pack onto the passenger seat, turned the ignition and began to make his way home. No sooner than he’d left the Von Rapture grounds he heard his phone ring. Quickly glancing at his phone set on the center console he smirked as he saw Savah’s number. He tapped the screen making sure the phone was on speaker before speaking, “You’ve reached the Stab and Bag. Are you stabbing or bagging today?”
He chuckled as he heard Savah’s exasperated sigh over the phone, “I’m assuming if you can joke the job’s been completed?”
Jarlaxle sighed, “Only mostly. Turnan helped Mr. Green escape right as we were about to bring him in. However, we were able to grab the rest of his crew for interrogation. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to contact your father for me would you?”
Savah sighed, “I can’t. Part of my leaving meant I had to erase him from my contacts. He changes his number every month so I couldn’t call him even if I wanted to. You’d have to ask Savag.”
Jarlaxle shrugged, though she couldn’t see it, “That’s fine I suppose. I just figured he might want to be here for their interrogation.”
Savah ‘hmm’d in agreement, “He probably will want to be. Information’s always been important to him. What are we doing about Green?”
Jarlaxle sighed, “Not much we can do right now. Vernon’s got a team out there looking for him and Turnan, but until they report back we can only get ready to interrogate the others.”
Savah sighed, clearly not liking that answer, “If that’s where we’re at, then that’s where we’re at. Hopefully we can get something useful from the rest of them. Other than the escape, how did everything go?”
Jarlaxle was happy to move to more positive talk, “Surprisingly it went smoothly. Folgrand did get found out, but he was able to keep Green talking to where we could move in and take the rest out with no issue. Although Turnan decided to leave me a beautiful mark on my head before running off with Green.”
Savah let out a tight breath, “Are you alright?”
Jarlaxle waved the question away, “Nothing a little first aid couldn’t help. I’m already bandaged up and I’ve got an ice pack I’ll be applying to the spot liberally.”
Savah laughed lightly, “At least you’re willing to take care of yourself. A trait some of us might want to obtain if we want to live a little longer.”
Jarlaxle laughed as well, “I’m fairly certain you’ll outlive us all, miss Snake Queen, what with you being out of the game and all.”
Savah laughed again, “So much for being out of the game. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep that promise once this is all over and done with.”
Jarlaxle nodded, “Well, I’ve got a troublesome daughter to get home to. Stay safe tonight, yes?”
He had a feeling Savah nodded in response, “I will. Say hi to Zarra for me.”
Jarlaxle smirked, “And fuel her infatuation for you? No thanks.”
Savah laughed, “Like it or not, your daughter finds danger sexy and I happen to be very dangerous.”
Jarlaxle laughed, “Don’t I know it. Sleep well Savah.”
Savah only responded by hanging up. Jarlaxle sighed, “Dangerous indeed…despite your best effort.”
------------
Folgrand sighed as he made his way into his dorm room, weary from the events of the day. But under all of that exhaustion, he felt a brief glimmer of hope. Hope that he might finally be able to enjoy life again.
Folgrand shook his head, ‘Don’t get ahead of yourself. As long as Green is out there, I’m not out of the woods yet. Hell I might still be screwed depending on what the others say.’
Before Folgrand could stew any further, he heard a knock at his door. Immediately he was on guard, not expecting anyone at this hour especially so soon after the raid. He grabbed a small knife from off the coffee table, one he really hoped he wouldn’t have to use. He quietly moved towards the door, doing his best to keep his breathing calm as he heard the person on the other side knock again.
Once he reached the door he made sure the blade was ready in case things got physical, “Who is it?”
Folgrand was equal parts relieved and confused as he heard a familiar voice on the other side of the door, “Your stupidly sexy *hic* boyfriend.”
Folgrand chuckled as he hid the knife on a nearby bookcase. He quickly moved to unlock the door only to be assaulted by the affectionate Shifter, unintentionally being grappled.
Folgrand laughed, “How much did you have tonight?”
Nathmar snuggled his head into Folgrand’s chest, “Enough for the world *hic* to spin.”
Folgrand laughed again, “Where’s Gruff, you guys all went out tonight right?”
Nathmar nodded, “He’s *hic* at home. Wait no, he’s *hic* at the apartment. I’m home now.”
Folgrand smiled, “Oh you are now, are you? Home is here?”
Nathmar shook his head, “Not here here,*hic* here with you.”
Folgrand felt his heart melt and moved to wrap his arms around his boyfriend the best he could, not being very successful due to the Shifter’s hold on him, “I’m home, huh?”
Natham nodded, “Because you *hic* you’re warm, and nice, and *hic* you make good food. Plus you’re hot.”
Folgrand laughed again, “You’re not too bad yourself, Beasty.”
Folgrand felt Nathmar’s hold loosen as he moved his hands to his shoulders, “No but like you’re *hic* hot hot. Like smoking hot. Like please break me *hic* over your knee hot.”
Folgrand felt himself blush, “Alright, I think we need to get you be-”
Folgrand didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as Nathamr quickly moved in and captured his lips with his own. Folgrand was surprised, but was quickly swept up in the passion his boyfriend was showing and began to kiss back. It wasn’t long before he felt Nathmar’s tongue try to press into his mouth and he knew he had to cut it off before they took it too far.
Folgrand gently pushed Nathmar away, “Wait-”
Nathmar seemed to quickly panic at his prodding, “Oh shit, *hic* I went too far di-didn’t I?”
Folgrand shook his head, “No no no, I’m more than willing to, I just want to do it when we’re both sober. Okay?”
Nathmar seemed to still be embarrassed, but he nodded, “Y-yeah, s-*hic*-sorry.”
Folgrand cradled Nathmar’s face in his hand, “It’s okay Beasty. How about we go lie down instead? When we wake up we can talk more about it and have breakfast together. How does that sound?”
Nathmar smiled again, “Sounds *hic* great. Let me carry you.”
Folgrand put his hands on his boyfriend’s biceps, “Actually, how about you go ahead? I need to close the door first.”
Nathmar blush, clearly forgetting the door was wide open from his surprise hug, “Oh yeah. I’ll *hic* meet you there then.”
Folgrand kissed Nathmar’s cheek, “Don’t worry I’ll be there soon.”
Nathmar began to stumble his way to Folgrand’s room (he’d been there enough times after all to know the way) and Folgrand smiled as he made his way to the door to close it. As he closed the door and locked it again, his eyes fell onto the knife.
Folgrand felt a bit of shame build, ‘I almost stabbed him because I was afraid it was someone else. I can’t keep hiding this from him.’
Making his way to where Nathmar was, he made a decision, ‘Tomorrow, I’ll tell him who I really am.’
Notes:
I think I'm starting to get to the point where I'll be able to wrap things up. I think moving past this part will get us 'back on track' as it were. We're not done with Green, but he will not be as big a part as he has been these past few chapters. I hope you all will enjoy these next chapters.
Chapter 32: Notice
Chapter Text
Sorry to anyone who thought this was a chapter update, but I have some unfortunate news: I will not be continuing this fic. I'm going to attempt to keep things simple—not all of the characters present in this fic are mine. One of the main characters I've been using belongs to another person, and that player and I had a falling out that led to us no longer being on speaking terms. Because of that, I feel it would be a slight against them to continue using that character when they may no longer be comfortable with, or may not want me to do so. As such, this will leave the fic in an incomplete state. I am very sorry to those who were following or enjoying this story, but I want to make it clear: this is not the other player's fault. I made a choice they disagreed with on a fundamental level, and while I am sorry that making this choice caused us to grow apart to this point, it doesn’t change the fact that I made the choice in the first place. If you want to blame someone for this fic going "offline," as it were, blame me. Thank you again for reading...and I'm sorry.
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Vonnix on Chapter 15 Sun 14 May 2023 09:28PM UTC
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Vonnix on Chapter 16 Mon 19 Jun 2023 08:31AM UTC
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Vonnix on Chapter 17 Mon 24 Jul 2023 12:31AM UTC
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Vonnix on Chapter 18 Mon 21 Aug 2023 12:43AM UTC
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Vonnix on Chapter 19 Sun 01 Oct 2023 11:40PM UTC
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Vonnix on Chapter 20 Mon 06 Nov 2023 08:48AM UTC
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Vonnix on Chapter 21 Sun 10 Dec 2023 06:33PM UTC
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