the_muses_stage prompt set 27 [one word prompt - "infect"]
It’s no surprise that West would think he could get away with attacking the Sith. He was a special sort of stupid and so he wouldn’t consider the consequences that would come his way as soon as Claire “caught” him. He only imagined a smug sort of victory as his fists landed hard against the other young man, pummelling the slick flesh and leaving plenty of marks as he punched with all he had. Of course the Sith didn’t show any pain because he had been trained a long time ago not to but he couldn’t exactly fight back either. So he stored up on the hate, imagining the young whelp’s death when he got free.
Not that he got the chance because the punches stopped rather suddenly as the boy suddenly crashed to the floor in a twisted heap at the feet of a furious brunette. “You stupid....” The curses were a mix of other languages as Claire raised a baton looking thing, slamming it on West’s shoulder to send him back down in the middle of him trying to get back to his feet.
When Claire broke from hitting West again, restrained by the hand of her dark shadow, she drew in a seething breath before stepping back. “Get him out of my sight.” She hissed at the man beside her before turning away from them both, her breathing ragged as she threw the baton to the side. She didn’t bother to watch the Haitian as he helped her young would-be protector out of the room.
As they were left alone, she focused on the bloody Sith. “You’re a fool.” She growled at him.
For a moment he looked shocked stupid by her words before he gave an incredulous laugh. “Me? I was not the one doing the beating.” He tracked her movements as she turned away from him, stalking over to the stand where there was a large pitcher of water and a bowl. He had watched her use the water to give herself a sort of sponge bath a couple of times now.
He swore she did it to torture him at times as she always ignored him while she went through the motions but he knew that she had been aware each and every time he had been watching her. It was a game and he hated her for it, and hated himself for looking forward to it somewhat.
But she wasn’t giving herself a sponge bath, not this time. Instead she carried the bowl to the table beside him and set it down. He could almost taste the crystal clear water and he could feel a sort of ache run through him but he ignored it. His gaze was sharp and suspicious as he watched her dip the cloth into the water before turning to him. “What are you doing?” He started to pull back but there wasn’t really anywhere he could go since he was still tied to the chair.
He had been tied there for four days, eleven hours and a blur of minutes. At times he would be allowed to get up but only when he was alone with the Haitian just outside the room. The few times he tried escaping, he never made it far before the world went black and he woke up a short while later back where he had started. He found it easier to bide his time and to just listen. Every time he had to, he made a mental note in his head and kept score of how many times he would have to kill her to keep things even between them.
“I’m going to clean your face.” She looked irritated as though it was somehow his fault he was bloody and bruised. When she touched the cloth to his face, he had expected she would be rough but her touch was strangely gently. It surprised him and he frowned at her because of it, because he liked it.
Still he was confused by her reaction to him. “Are you mad at me?”
“I’m annoyed.” She corrected him as though that somehow made it better.
“Why?” He didn’t know why he cared.
“I’m annoyed because if you would have just listened to me earlier, this wouldn’t have happened. I could let you wander around with her connection to the Force.” She turned away from him, dipping the cloth back into the water and then wringing it out. “If you would just behave and get over your stupid dedication to a Master who isn’t worthy of you, I wouldn’t have to keep you tied up.”
He glared at her, setting his jaw in a hard line and she could imagine he was plotting her death again. She almost smirked at him as she tilted her head to the side while continuing to clean the blood away. When she was done, she tossed the cloth into the bowl with a deliberate splash that caused a small spray of water to hit him.
Claire turned away from him for a moment as she moved to get a towel so she could dry her hands off. “You know, it really is a shame you’re fighting against me so much.” She remarked lightly with a smirk he couldn’t see but it was evident in her tone she was feeling a touch smug at the moment. “We could work much better if we were working together after all.” When she glanced over her shoulder, she caught the expression on his face that said her words were starting to get to him.
Of course he was quick to make his features blank once he realized she was watching him again. “Let me go free and we’ll discuss it.”
“You know I can’t now.” She chuckled, shaking her head as she tossed the towel aside. “You need some rest and some time to cool down.” As though she thought he actually would. It was more than likely he would just stew in his anger and hatred.
That’s exactly what he was doing when suddenly she distracted him by standing close once more and touching his cheek. Her fingertips slid lightly over the darkening bruise on his cheek bone, sending a tingle of pain through with the sensation of her skin against his. When he looked up at her, she smiled slightly before turning and walking out to leave him alone with his thoughts for awhile.
As she passed the Haitian, she nodded ever so slightly to let him know they were moving on in the plan. Starkiller didn’t know it yet, but he was coming over to her side.
[Starkiller is
starkiller_sith , the use of West and the Haitian isn't aimed at any specific journals]
Not that he got the chance because the punches stopped rather suddenly as the boy suddenly crashed to the floor in a twisted heap at the feet of a furious brunette. “You stupid....” The curses were a mix of other languages as Claire raised a baton looking thing, slamming it on West’s shoulder to send him back down in the middle of him trying to get back to his feet.
When Claire broke from hitting West again, restrained by the hand of her dark shadow, she drew in a seething breath before stepping back. “Get him out of my sight.” She hissed at the man beside her before turning away from them both, her breathing ragged as she threw the baton to the side. She didn’t bother to watch the Haitian as he helped her young would-be protector out of the room.
As they were left alone, she focused on the bloody Sith. “You’re a fool.” She growled at him.
For a moment he looked shocked stupid by her words before he gave an incredulous laugh. “Me? I was not the one doing the beating.” He tracked her movements as she turned away from him, stalking over to the stand where there was a large pitcher of water and a bowl. He had watched her use the water to give herself a sort of sponge bath a couple of times now.
He swore she did it to torture him at times as she always ignored him while she went through the motions but he knew that she had been aware each and every time he had been watching her. It was a game and he hated her for it, and hated himself for looking forward to it somewhat.
But she wasn’t giving herself a sponge bath, not this time. Instead she carried the bowl to the table beside him and set it down. He could almost taste the crystal clear water and he could feel a sort of ache run through him but he ignored it. His gaze was sharp and suspicious as he watched her dip the cloth into the water before turning to him. “What are you doing?” He started to pull back but there wasn’t really anywhere he could go since he was still tied to the chair.
He had been tied there for four days, eleven hours and a blur of minutes. At times he would be allowed to get up but only when he was alone with the Haitian just outside the room. The few times he tried escaping, he never made it far before the world went black and he woke up a short while later back where he had started. He found it easier to bide his time and to just listen. Every time he had to, he made a mental note in his head and kept score of how many times he would have to kill her to keep things even between them.
“I’m going to clean your face.” She looked irritated as though it was somehow his fault he was bloody and bruised. When she touched the cloth to his face, he had expected she would be rough but her touch was strangely gently. It surprised him and he frowned at her because of it, because he liked it.
Still he was confused by her reaction to him. “Are you mad at me?”
“I’m annoyed.” She corrected him as though that somehow made it better.
“Why?” He didn’t know why he cared.
“I’m annoyed because if you would have just listened to me earlier, this wouldn’t have happened. I could let you wander around with her connection to the Force.” She turned away from him, dipping the cloth back into the water and then wringing it out. “If you would just behave and get over your stupid dedication to a Master who isn’t worthy of you, I wouldn’t have to keep you tied up.”
He glared at her, setting his jaw in a hard line and she could imagine he was plotting her death again. She almost smirked at him as she tilted her head to the side while continuing to clean the blood away. When she was done, she tossed the cloth into the bowl with a deliberate splash that caused a small spray of water to hit him.
Claire turned away from him for a moment as she moved to get a towel so she could dry her hands off. “You know, it really is a shame you’re fighting against me so much.” She remarked lightly with a smirk he couldn’t see but it was evident in her tone she was feeling a touch smug at the moment. “We could work much better if we were working together after all.” When she glanced over her shoulder, she caught the expression on his face that said her words were starting to get to him.
Of course he was quick to make his features blank once he realized she was watching him again. “Let me go free and we’ll discuss it.”
“You know I can’t now.” She chuckled, shaking her head as she tossed the towel aside. “You need some rest and some time to cool down.” As though she thought he actually would. It was more than likely he would just stew in his anger and hatred.
That’s exactly what he was doing when suddenly she distracted him by standing close once more and touching his cheek. Her fingertips slid lightly over the darkening bruise on his cheek bone, sending a tingle of pain through with the sensation of her skin against his. When he looked up at her, she smiled slightly before turning and walking out to leave him alone with his thoughts for awhile.
As she passed the Haitian, she nodded ever so slightly to let him know they were moving on in the plan. Starkiller didn’t know it yet, but he was coming over to her side.
[Starkiller is
starkiller_sith , the use of West and the Haitian isn't aimed at any specific journals]