Completed [Antinous Training Grounds] Another Brick in the Wall

[Fallon]

Fallon winced and then grimaced as she saw that look. It was one she had indeed seen before, from misspent days of their youth and up until the Djed storm. And it had appeared again now, even when the barking of the weaponmaster sounded out and the snap of Orion came shortly after. She clenched her teeth, feeling them grind against each as she worked through his questions that he had asked.
“I’m fine Orion, I’m fine. I’ve had worse,” she pushed down a hiss, her fingers clenching at her side. It was far from the truth, but it was the only thing she could manage to allow out that was barely suitable for the current environment. She could not exactly say what she thought in the midst of the training ground and the observing audience. As adrenal seeped away, true pain managed to creep in and slowly bounded the senses in it. She tried her best to keep a neutral face, though instead she ended up simply looking angry with her current discomforts. Even breathing she quickly found was becoming difficult.

“Gods… this is worse than when I fell off that blasted horse,” she gave a grunt and forced her legs to move after him. She shot a glare at a squire who was staring at them, then gave him a snort before pushing herself off after Orion and his slow pace. The girl forced herself to suck up the pain, her eyes drilling into his back as a point of focus. Which was a lot harder than it sounded. Eyes once more lay upon her, judging already as she pushed herself onwards. The squire forced her back to straighten, nostril flaring as a scowl fixing itself upon her face.

“So we’re playing doctors and patients then?” she breathed, and forced herself to simper at him, “Lucky me.” She had enough sense to not argue with him, he after all was a specialist in the field of being a doctor it seemed, whilst Fallon herself was good at being someone for him to practice on. Breathing lightly gave a glance around the training grounds one last time, meeting the looks that others gave her with a strong defiance and then nodding to Orion “Take me away to where ever to do your thing.”

It was a choice she made not to think too much as Orion led them onwards and out of the training grounds, though the immediate direction was still largely a mystery to her. It may have been however due to the dizzying headache that was growing from when her head struck the ground. Soon he would deal with her, and after that... well she was not quite sure any more. Knowing him, Fallon would have guessed there was only one thing that he wanted. Unless, of course, he had a sudden change of heart and became celibate.
Like that will ever happen, she mused before raising out a hand and gripping onto Orion’s arm. She gave him a part grouchy look; the rest of her looked more lethargic than anything else. “You’re going to fast, slow the petch down.”
x

[Orion Michaels]

She could put on a show, couldn't she? The girl wasn't okay. And if there hadn't been all those people around, he'd have examined her right there, and likely at her protest. But few knew the human body better than Orion, medical or otherwise. The embarrassment could come later. For now, she was going to get treated. Pink lips were twisted into a frown as he watched her take each labored step. It was a horrible place to be struck so hard, not that there were many good places to be hit. He knew just where to take her.

"Falling off a horse, huh? I forgot that you were a paragon of grace, Fal. We're going to be the knights they tell stories about, right?" Orion Michaels and Fallon Skylar. The reasons that Syliras fell.

He hoped that the young woman wouldn't be sore at him for how things had gone down, though he thought it best not to approach that subject at the time. She was already irritated enough, and he didn't quite feel like getting caught in any explosive outbursts. His earlier judgement had likely done little to improve her rapidly deteriorating mood.

"I thought I'd get a break from it while I was training, but with you around, I guess I'm the lucky one. I don't get near the coin for my work I used to, though." Wasn't that the truth. It was the harshest of realities. No coin combined with the lifestyle he was used to living? Dinah was less than pleased with his expenditures at times, and often was he forced to pay out of his own pocket for what she called 'extravagances'. Fine clothing and fine wine were needed for an adult squire?!

He slowed as she requested, sigh as she was forced to link up to him in order to keep going. Fallon seemed focused enough on just taking step after step, so he wouldn't burden her with conversation. Instead, they'd need to go to their first stop. Orion couldn't tell you how long it took for them to arrive, but each tick was accented with the pained breaths of his long time friend. When he finally pushed open the double doors and descended to the fourth tier where the Soothing Waters Bathhouse was nicely tucked, he glanced back and spoke. "No, I'm not here for anything naughty. We get access to these healers, so we might as well take advantage. You'll be better in no time."

He nodded in greeting to the man working the reception and walked on by, thoroughly familiar with the location. He'd worked here for a three seasons before becoming a squire. A turn here, through a door here, and there they would be. Those marked with the Healing Gnosis were more useful than he could be in a case like this, as much as it pained him to admit it. "You can go on in. I'll stay out here and give you some privacy with the healer."

[Fallon]

“I’ll grace you in a chime,” she gave a grumble as he led the way to the Soothing Waters. She did however cock an eyebrow at him when they arrived there, or at least until he explained his reasoning to her. Fallon gave a quick snort, and allowed herself to be lead through the bathhouse by a man who was far too familiar with it. Only once or twice did she give a slightly confused expression as Orion escorted her to where she needed to be. Not once did the squire think she would grace the rooms of this place for healing. Though she had been here times before in younger years, as she got older she found herself somewhat reluctant to go to such places. All for good reason of course. She gave a brief glance at her friend when he told her to go in, almost created out of worry that he would suddenly disappear and leave her there looking like a fool.
"You will... wait right?" she shook her head before waving away the question. It was a silly one, even she knew that. Of course he would wait. Right?

Hesitantly the squire forced herself into the privacy of the room, and had the healer give her a judging look before rolling her eyes. Her hand of course still clung to her side, and it took an awful lot of coaxing and luring in for Fallon to even consider having the healer near. And when she did the healer of course proceeded to give her a hard time, or more over seemed to scowl her just as much as a mother would her child. More so when Fallon wheezed through the events that lead up to it. She grimaced and grumbled through the ordeal, and reluctantly let the woman prod and poke at the tender swelling that had risen up across the right side.
“It was training,” Fallon begun.
“Should have worn something to protect yourself. You’re a squire after all.”
“I did, but he caught me hard.”
“That was silly.“
“Ouch.”
“Hold still, stop squirming.”
“Your hands are petching freezing,” Fallon growled between clenched teeth.

Although Fallon craved touch and often used it to allow herself to feel close to people, from near strangers or those unwanted it was the opposite. Touch was a symbol of closeness for her, and although the healer was only trying to do her job, the squire still found it relatively unbearable. Enough so that she felt her skin crawl as those cold fingers traced around and begun to do their work. It felt odd, intrusive and unpleasant to say the least, more so when the healer nagged on about it being easier to do if Fallon helped herself by removing more layers than she had already had. After what seemed painstaking bells however, the squire was released and sent on her merry way feeling a little lighter and better than before.

She still ached a little, or more over felt tender in the area where the blow hit. But the worst of it was over and dealt with. Within a couple of days of ‘not doing anything too strenuous’ she would be back to normal. This however was Fallon, and she did not have time for rest, not when the path of Knighthood was before her. Taking a heavy sigh, she emerged with the coat swung over one shoulder whilst her fingers worked to quickly do up the lower buttons of her shirt as quickly as possible. She gave a hesitant glance round; nervous almost about the place as she pulled at the cuffs of her sleeves and gloves.
“Thank the gods that’s over,” she shuddered as her fingers rubbed at her side, remembering the pain that was focused heavy there chimes before, “At least I can breathe easy now.”
x

[Orion Michaels]

"Don't you worry, I'll be right here waiting." Where would he go? Off chasing tail? Now wasn't the time for that. He was trying to be supportive, and that was the question she asked? Frowning slightly, Orion leaned up against the wall right across from the examination room Fallon had disappeared into. They were going to be awhile. Even though the healer had magical powers with which to deal with an injury, she wasn't going to move quickly to use them. She had a reputation for being...thorough. Or extremely slow, depending on who you asked.

All the time he had to sit there and wait on Fallon only caused his mind to wander back to the bet she'd made in haste. "What a stupid wager..." He smiled somewhat sadly, trying to imagine the thoughts that must have been running through her head the as the realizations of her defeat introduced themselves. What did she think they were going to do? What would his prize be? She had said he could do anything he wished in the event he was victorious. It was pretty clear what he'd be expected to do. Was that, perhaps, why she was in such a bad mood?

Was it such an awful thought?

Probably was, for her. Cringing at the thought of Orion's touch. He couldn't blame her. He was an awful, despicable human being.

He looked up as the door opened and a much more mobile Fallon exited, expressing relief at the conclusion of that event. Oh, but how it was only just beginning. No time to rest, now. "Don't catch your breath too much, Fal. I believe we need to go to the dorms," he remarked, turning to begin making his way towards the exit of the Soothing Waters. His mind was running wild. What would he actually do? How would she react to whatever it was he did?

Orion fell silent as they walked, answering any questions or comments in a minimal manner. No details. No committal answers. Everything one would expect from Orion when he didn't want to deal with something.

The dorms were approaching far too quickly..

[Fallon]

Fallon stared at his back, and then had her shoulders almost instinctively hunch inwards when he mentioned the dormitories. She tried to make her mind calm, breathing in deeply, changing the air in her lungs and then exhaling again. It was her own fault, and her own rash decisions. She would have to deal with the consequences of them.
“Orion,” there was a moment of hesitation in her voice, “You do know that if you want to… petch something I can throw coin at you and… well… leave you in the heralds for the day and night. Unless it isn’t then… well… you get the idea. Same as if… you know… you don’t want to do something. Sorry… bad excuses. Should just get on with it.” She almost seemed to wince slightly at her own words.

It was her attempt of getting out of the situation, or to at least receive as little damage as possible. It was - in her mind - the last chance of perhaps anything remotely related to that sort of thing. Of course, her face was gradually turning red at the thoughts of what could possibly occur by the time. It was Orion, he liked to petch things that were remotely pretty or attractive to him. Of course she could have simply completely missed something, and it could be little more than going back to the dormitories for a simple little chat. Nothing more, nothing less. But this was him, there had to be more to it than that.

Why try to avoid it though?

Simple. She had no experience in that sort of thing. That and the thought of the whole ordeal made her nervous and –to a degree - frightened. There was also the issue of scaring and her own marks that she tried to badly hide and keep covered, her own embarrassments and things she did not want to remember. Nor did she want anyone else to know of. Including Orion. Her lips pursed together as they found themselves hovering too near to the dormitories, and knew that just beyond a door or two was the suite that several of them resided in. Not that she had seen several of them in a long time, for all she knew they had simply disappeared into thin air.

And then there was Orion himself. It would be wrong to say she did not just simply like the man. He had always been there, from since she was small to now the present. The pair had shared years of history, of adventure and tales within the city and most importantly could deal with each other. She could brush away his flirts and suggestions, and be left with the simple and raw man. And in turn she was rasher, blunter, and perhaps slightly more daring. He allowed her to be herself and he did not judge on it – or not as much as some people would. And his company and touch, well it was among the few that she enjoyed and craved. Not that she could admit that to him.

For a moment she floated outside the dormitory room, and glanced back at Orion and then the door handle. She flexed her fingers for a moment, her skin having gone from its previous red glow to pale, “I… we’re here. So why we here?” It was a good question in her mind; then again her thoughts were still frantically trying to find a sense of calm and levelness “Did you need to get something? Do something?”
x

[Orion Michaels]

Orion remained silent, despite all of her rambling. It wasn't a time for words. No, not now. The present called for silence as they traveled. The blue eyed man had no interest in the Herald's Arm. Despite what was likely hypocrisy, the place was disgusting to him. Perhaps there had been a day when Orion would seek out a brothel to satisfy himself, but those days were long gone. He couldn't be horribly surprised that she would offer that up, however. They'd talked so little in recent memory, that she probably thought him the same guy who'd gone to the whorehouse in seasons passed.

They'd both changed, hadn't they?

He knew she was nervous, and, well, she should be. With the Orion she knew and the reputation he had, what woman in their right mind would be calm about being led to a room to be alone with one Orion Michaels. Ladies' Man of Syliras. Manwhore of Syliras. Scourge of Syliras. Whatever they wanted to call him. If one thing was universally accepted about his titles, it was that he was certainly good at his job.

He wasn't blind to her flushed face, nor to the panic which seemed to be setting in. He could have spoken up, but would that really have helped? Was this a case where fear of the unknown was better than having to face a reality? They'd find out, wouldn't they? Her nerves seemed to be getting worse the closer they got to dormitories, until they were finally outside the entrance to their common area.

The place had been so much more busy when they'd all moved in, but now it seemed as though Fallon and Orion were the only two that ever used it. Rarely did the two old time friends run into each other here, though. They'd be in the rooms just long enough to catch enough sleep that they didn't die the next day from sleep deprivation.

He tilted his head slightly in response to her inquiry. Grasping for anything at this point, Fallon? Orion quietly opened the door and stepped in. "We're here to collect on the bet," he said calmly, his face betraying no emotion. "Go get on your bed, Fal." The bet was stupid. No, the prize for winning the bet was stupid. But if she was going to give that kind of power to him, he wasn't going to waste it.

[Fallon]

For a moment Fallon stood there for a moment, her mind having simply grown blank and absent of any thought. Or at least for a moment it was the case. It was the words of Orion that made her return to reality though.
I don’t want this. I really don’t want this. But the bet… Don’t surrender to it, her eyes looked down at the floor and then into the common area. He was calm, too calm and it made her uncomfortable.

But then it all fell into place for the girl.

Something clicked in her mind. Her eyes that were once focused on the door handle turned up his feet and then up slowly towards him. She could not bring herself to move or more over to do his wishes. Bet or no bet she would not yield to that sort of thing. Not in these sort of conditions at least. Her arms folded, her feet planting herself firmly on the ground. Her eyes turned up and burned at the squire before, brow knitting together as she stood in defiance against to him. She forced herself to stand straight and puffed loudly, “No.” Fist clenched, the fingers lightly gripping onto her sleeves. The bet was stupid, along with the prize. She gave a glare and continued “No. No and No.”

Her tone quickly changed after that, becoming direct and to the point. But only because she felt the need to, “Don’t think I’m some common whore that will just lie down and do.” She had finally put her foot down to him, and she would not budge without force “Bet or no bet, this is stupid. Are you really that desperate to petch something that you’d take up childish bets when you can just cause any other women to swoon? Or is it because it’s an opportunity you can’t let down, because I’m Fallon the girl made of ice who won’t melt to any advances? Or am I just another tick in your list of conquests?” Sucking in the air Fallon proceeded to make a verbal stand against him “Call me old fashioned but if you want to petch something you should do it because you love them just as they do you, not because you just want to please yourself. Gods, it’s why I don’t do things like that even if…” she shook her head “Never mind. Doubt you care about things like that.”

It was no doubt rich coming from her, the inexperienced girl giving the professional player a lecture – or at least as close as. She turned her head away as if almost pouting as she threw down her opinion. Fallon pursed her lips together, and glanced briefly back at Orion and then snapped her eyes away. She may have turned the air sour, but at present she really did not care anymore, as far as she was concerned she had to stop the situation from escalating further. Though this was him, and judging by their previous record it was bound to get worse. That or he was just going to laugh at her.
x

[Orion Michaels]

Orion closed his eyes and endured her onslaught against him and his character. It was the image he had painted for himself, wasn’t it? A monster that would do anything for a good lay. Or a bad lay. He was guided more by libido than by passion. By desire more than thought. He was the worst their lovely city had to offer, and now he was just some thug trying to force himself on a long term friend, right? That’s what she thought. That’s what her venomous words spat. To speak of him on love? That she would break him so, it hurt more than anything else she could have done.

Did she truly think him so horrible a person? That he would really force her to bed him based on such a stupid bet? He didn’t wish to think it true. Taking deep breaths, he allowed her to finish her rant. If it was supposed to be serious, he felt like he should laugh. If it was supposed to be a joke, he couldn’t have searched deep enough that a smile would surface. He’d been misleading with his intentions, just trying to get a rise out of his friend. He received much more than that, hadn’t he?

“I..” he began, opening his mouth to speak. Unfortunately, his words failed him as he opened his eyes to look at the obviously shaken woman. He had disguised it all too well, hadn’t he? It’s not like it wasn’t expected that Orion would try and sleep with someone, right? “It’s good to see what you think I am, Fallon. At least that doesn’t leave any questions, right?” He shook his head and turned back for the door.

“I was never going to touch you. I was going to make you feel uncomfortable because I’m an asshole. But I would never do something you didn’t want to do. I might try and talk you into something, but just like I can’t stop you from leaving, I can’t make you do anything else. Unbelieveable.” He stepped outside the door, turning to head down the hallway and back out into the city proper. “See you around, Fal. Don’t worry about the blasted bet. I don’t care.” Unless he was given reason to stop, Orion made his way from the dormitories at that time. He didn’t know what he was off to do, but he couldn’t be around right then. A joke gone bad, words . . harsh words . . it was enough to spoil this day.

[Fallon]

Fallon felt herself slide into the door frame as all she stood for seemed to crumble. Her throat tightened as she let herself shake and watched him walk away, bitter and twisted due to the events. She gave a choke, arms wrapping around herself as she let the show she had put up tumble and fall away to nothing. Orion, most probably the only man that could make her fall to pieces in an instant. The one that was always there, but also always walking away. In honesty, it had scared her. The unknown had proven its load of fear upon her and left her wanting to do one thing only. Run. Run away and never stop. To simply get up and go. To leave and never look back. Pure, and total escapism from everything. For here stood Fallon, the one who ruined of many a thing. Her eyes looked upon his back as he walked away, further and further from reach by the tick.

Once before Fallon went after him after turning the scene sour, once before did she reach out and grab him. Once before did she bring herself to return to the city. But no matter how much she tried for him, no matter how much she struggled, he was always out of grasp. And so the girl was left to look but not touch. But what did Fallon want? Well even she was unsure right now on exactly what. All she knew was that she wanted the power to stop ruining things and perhaps the ability to take a joke for a change. She wanted to run after him, just like she did before. To grovel and be pathetic before him, for that seemed like the only thing she was currently good at doing at present – ignoring being a good target for training that was.

Her legs spurred into life, her mind no longer in control of them as instinct and impulses ruled. They dragged her away from the door, mechanically bringing her out into the open and away from the dormitories. The current reality seemed far from real for her, a distant dream that she wanted to deny. Her chest ached, her mind blank of common sense and rational thinking. She walked her pace quickening as she once more went after him. It was the only thing she knew how to do at present, the only thing she could think about. Almost as if it was vital and she had to do it. When she came level with him the last push made her step in front of him and block his way, arms held open and her eyes fixed upon him. She came to a sharp stop, and showed no signs of budging just yet. Her expression though still showing signs of distress, still had a flare of determination rising up there. A hand reached up to him as once more she held ground, and fingers firmly grabbed at him by the collar. She trembled slightly as she did this, throwing previous thoughts that held her back to one side and instead acted purely on impulse.

“You’re an asshole. You’re a bastard. You’re mean. A bully and a damned deviant if I’d ever seen one. You wind me up, you put me down, you make me run round in circles around you and leave me not knowing which way is up or which way is down. You make me crave, yet you frighten me to death on the thought of having you just walk away and that I’d never see you again,” she fought back a tremble, and swallowed it as a serious – yet oddly calm – expression took over as if she was trying to fight with herself. Her nostrils flared as she felt her eyes begin to water and sting, “Sometimes you’re like ice, sometimes you’re like fire. I know you well one moment, the next you just confuse me. Yet here I am, crawling back again and again. Putting up with you’re damned shyke. Sometimes I don’t know if I should scream and shout, grab hold of you and seek your approval, play or fight, or just… just…”

Impulse took the moment. Common sense, rational thought, even the little moments of doubts had all but vanished. Almost as if nothing itself mattered anymore and all she could so was act and act now. She drew in a deep breath, and pressed her lips against his into a firm kiss. But no quickly had she done it, had Fallon released her hold and pulled away. Eyes darted to one side, no longer able to look at him straight, let alone think clearly. And for now, there was nothing else she could do but stand there and look like the foolish girl she was "I... Shyke... I... I..."
x

[Orion Michaels]

That was unexpected.

Well, maybe not all of it. The attack of what they were, what she felt, what he did, just exactly how much of an asshole he was. That was expected. It’s something which happened when they had these tiffs, depending on how confident Fallon was feeling that day. Sometimes she would shout after him. Sometimes she would leave him alone. Sometime she would run after him. And other times she would kiss him.

Wait. No, that one was a first.

Orion’s eyes widened in genuine surprised as his long-time friend pressed her lips against his, leaving him at a complete loss for words, at least for the moment. Was this really happening? Did she have latent feelings she’d suppressed all this time? Or was this just the result of a moment of energy, a moment of passion, fueled by frustration and anger at the stupid games Orion played. Everything was upside down. “Um….”

She was avoiding his eyes. Embarassed? Probably. But he had to ask. Maybe he was stupid, but he had to ask.

“Are you ashamed?” He crossed his arms, taking a deep breath before his words found him again. “It’s a pretty horrible thing, huh? Kissing Orion Michaels. I bet you don’t even know what the fuss is all about, right?” He shook his head, and crossed his arms as he looked down at Fallon.

“You’ve done a lot of stupid things, Fal. I’ve made sure I let you know about most of them.” But this was more than all of those. “Look at me, please,” he requested, uncrossing his arms and extending one hand to gently touch her cheek and direct her gaze back to Orion’s. “I don’t know what you were thinking. I really don’t. I’m totally confused. I…”

This was going to sound really stupid, and probably not at all what she wanted or expected to hear after what happened, but it’s all that he could think of. It was absurd. Give her a hug? Give her reassurance? Should he kiss her back? These were normal thoughts. Not what you get when dealing with Orion, though.

“Fal…I’m proud of you.”

What?

“No, let me finish, please. Separate any feelings from this for a moment, and look at what you just did. I’ve..I’ve never seen it from you, and it’s amazing.” He took another deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts and really express exactly what he was trying to say. “I mean, you run, Fal. That’s always been your reaction, in my humble opinion.” He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, wrapping her in a tight embrace. “I know this can’t be what you expected . . but . . . look what happened! You stood up to me, came after me, and instead of waiting to receive . . . well, you took something. “

All the tension from earlier was gone, for Orion at least. He just hoped that this wasn’t another bridge burned. A kiss was always the beginning of the end when it came to his life.