Heavens Divide chpt 1
Ok so this is the first chpt...... (still got my fingers crossed.)
Heavens Divide
Chapter 1
17 years after the fall of Arcticala. London Kensington, Autumn 2007.
The shower rushed a surge of hot water over Arc’s frail looking body washing the remains of the concoction people call hair dye. Leaving behind artificial black silk that flowed the length of his neck, grabbing the towel that hanged on a bar close to the shower and wrapping it around his waist once he dried himself. Moving to his bedroom and turned on his answering machine.
“You have one message” a mechanical voice sounded as Arc fixed on his contacts disguising his diamond eye with a plain brown. Contacts were such a hassle compared to sunglasses but wearing sun glasses in a British autumn would earn him a couple of ‘odd’ looks which he really didn’t need.
“Hello Arc, how’s your first week in London? Uni is starting after Christmas right? Well I’m just calling to check on you. We miss you very much over here in Canada. We’ll come visit you once we’ve made sure of where we’re moving to. Don’t be a stranger ok. Miss you a lot. Liz and Allan.” The message ended with a beep.
“Miss you too mom and dad,” he mumbled under his breath getting his right eye now concealed. He blinked a couple of times and examined his almond eyes. His eyes were small but not enough to make him look squinty but a few has mistaken him for an Asian tourist. Who blames them his hair is dyed black after all.
He grabbed the outfit he put out before the shower, which really was just jeans and a gray sweater laced with small silver threads. He quickly put them on and headed for the door of his apartment pulling on a light jacket over himself before heading out.
It was a couple of minutes walk from his apartment to get to Holland Park. He enjoyed walks a far as he could remember, it gave him time to think (something he don’t really have during high school).
Arriving at the park dusk is beginning to take over the sky. He headed for the café, it took him 10 min to find on his first time at the park with the directory not being much help.
“Hey Arc! I see you’re here again, the usual again?” the kid waved from behind the counter.
“Hi Jake and yea the usual,” he smiled back at the blonde who looked about his age.
“You know Starbucks is not exactly far from here, it’s much warm-,”
“I know but I prefer the outdoors” cutting him off.
“Suit yourself; there you go one hot soy latte,” Jake shrugged whilst receiving the five pounds.
“Keep the change,” Arc attempted a smile and walked past the out door café and into the path that led to the cluster of trees.
He loved autumn and winter, the trees had is shades of colors unique to itself making a pleasurable sight to look at. The weather didn’t seem to bother Arc because he is used to resisting the elements, growing up in various places of the world.
The sun has retreated so that the sky is left glowing but the source of the light is no longer visible.
Arc let out a small sigh whilst disposing his latte in the bin and taking a rest on a forgotten bench that give the impression of being unused for quite a while.
“Well now what have we got here?” a rough voice crept up on him followed by really constipated chuckling sounds.
“Can I help you?” Arc hesitated but replied to the group of guys.
“Hah, looks like we’ve got a posh one boys,” this time the voice came out more threatening.
“How much you got?” assuming that the man was referring to money Arc handed his wallet to them realizing that he has not looked at them even once since the encounter. Trouble was one thing he really did not want and it was a partial reason why he was in London in the first place.
“You have something against me!” the man threatened and his ‘crew’ backing him up.
“No, I gave you the cash now could you leave me; I don’t want any trouble…” Arc mumbled under his breath.
The group gave out a hoarse laugh. “Well let me see your face…”
Before he realized a sharp metallic point ran up the surface of his neck forcing him to lift his face up.
“Pretty face…it’d be a real shame if I had to scar it…”
“What are you getting at? I gave you the money, leave me alone!” Arc burst out in a wave of panic.
“What we’re getting at is…the fact that no one comes down this path and surely no one will hear you scream from here,” the dropped a hand and began to crush Arc’s shoulders. His breath stank of whisky and his followers don’t look friendly either.
“Leave me alone!!” Arc got up and shoved the man away from him but to realize that he was surrounded by armed ruffians. Turning behind him a baseball bat knocked him on his knees.
“Don’t resist and it could be fun pretty face” a grin widened on the extent of the bearded face.
The man leant over Arc and pinned the boy down with his body mass. The fear and desperation is severe and the air around Arc began to settle and the temperature began to drop.
The thug sat up looking down at the pretty face but it has lost its tranquil demeanor. The black of Arc’s hair began to disperse as the winds blew the color away uncovering the bluish platinum within. The boy got up and the temperature dropped even further at the orb being formed on the boy’s center stabilized by two hands.
Being enlightened that the he was the one in danger the pathetic thug made a run for it, following his even more pitiful ‘groupies’ who left long before he knew.
Arc threw the now radiating orb of silver light at the man’s arm instantly fast freezing the arm putting it in a case of ice. Raising his hand Arc made a crushing motion with his fist and just like that the frost around the arm smashed into shards along with arm.
The man shrieked in agony but managed to get up on his feet and run despite his missing arm and ran before Arc could form a second orb in which he would surely aim for the head.
Arc watched the man until he was out of sight and let out a tiresome sigh. What is it with people that can’t seem to leave him alone? It was not the first time he had to resort to drastic measures. In Canada his high school professor tried to get the better of him. The man probably won’t regain the feeling of his genitals ever again in this lifetime…
Arc gave out a small chuckle and picked up his wallet that the man ‘dropped’ and melted the ice and the remains of the pervert’s arm. He pulled a portion of his straight hair and sighed again in agitation.
“I just dyed my hair…” looking more pissed than regret.
“Bravo, that was truly impressive,” a cheerful voice applauded.
Arc got up and looked around to find himself alone. “Who’s there?!” he shouted and focusing his energies into forming and ice sphere.
“Up here!!” the boy shouted not sounding any less cheerful than before.
The figure jumped down from the oak that has be sheltering the bench. He was tall and appears to be well built, another thing of notice is that his hair was odd in color very much like Arc’s but instead of silver blue it was flame red and faded into a heated orange near the tips. Other features were blocked out by the shadows and the dimness of the sky.
“Are you just gonna gape or are you gonna disarm” the now taller and much bigger boy (most guys were bigger than Arc) hinted at the revolving ball of icy energy on Arc’s right hand.
Arc without realizing it diminished even though he didn’t know the person but if the boy weren’t afraid of Arc in this state then its pretty much safe to say that he comes in peace.
“Much better, my name is Infernus but call me Fern for short,” already introducing himself with much ease.
“Umm if you don’t mind just keep this quiet and I think I’ll be going now,”
“WAIT, WAIT you can’t go yet!” the Fern ran out blocking Arc’s path (for such a nice park they sure made small paths).
“Why not?” Looking not too impressed.
“Umm…because you haven’t told me your name…or should I just call you ‘pretty face’” Fern mocked the thug.
“It’s Arc, happy now? Let me pass.” Looking skeptical, is this guy in front of him for real?
“Well it’s nice to meet you Arc but I can’t let you pass. I’m sorry but I’ve been looking for someone like you for sometime now.”
“Oh I see…well sorry but I don’t date anything that hangs about in trees. As far as I’m concerned only monkeys did that.” Arch replied.
The boy froze and stared at Arc as if he was the ghost of Christmas past and let out an amused smile. “That’s not what I meant, but I’m sure you’re not that heartless enough to leave me ‘hangin’ if I did really wanna date you.”
Arc stood there saying nothing but thanking the darkness for hiding his flush which would have been on display on his pale skin.
“You see, I have to look for someone with abilities such as you for a certain organization.”
“It’s not everyday I run into people with magic you know” Fern continued. “I was sent on this job for a month now and I haven’t even had a break yet…” Now that he mentioned it he did look shabby and ruffled.
“And you want me to do what?” Arc asked intrigued by the boy’s futile attempt.
“Well I’m supposed to take you to the organization and there they’ll probably give you a choice if you wanna join them or not. If not then they’ll just take a record of your existence and just let you go back to your life,”
“Right…so basically this is a job offer?”
“No but could you help me out please, pretty please?” this time he sounded really desperate. “I haven’t eaten in days and I can’t exactly go home until I find someone for the organization.”
“Okay first of all don’t call me pretty (-_-), and second of all you make a very feeble salesman or whatever you are for this ‘organization’…” Arc paused examined the guy in the dark. Even though it was dark he could feel the puppy dog eyes…
“I suppose I take pity on you…” he let out a sigh. “I’m guessing that you have not place to stay either right? Judging from your clothes”
“Yep”
“Fine I’ll help, I won’t promise that I’ll take the organization’s offer but I’ll go with you, and since you haven’t eaten or have anything better than a park bench to sleep in for-“
“Three days, my money ran out three days ago.” Fern cut him off.
“Right, I guess you could stay at my apartment for the night. I guess I’ll make dinner…” Arc managed to say without flinching or sounding like a desperate housewife cause he did really pity the miserable thing.
“Really! YAY!!” The Fern leaped and gave Arc a tight squeeze.
“Umm Fern…your violating my 1 meter squared boundary for personal space.”
“I know, I’m just happy…the last ‘magical’ person I met summoned and army of rabid bunnies after me.”
“Another thing since you did not have a place to sleep for three days , that also meant did not shower for three days…”
“You guessed it”
“It wasn’t much of a guess believe me.” Arc pried himself out of the awkward embrace.
“Arc?” Tapping the smaller boy to get his attention.
“What now?”
“So letting me stay at your place does that mean you like me and probably won’t mind dating me right? So if I ask you would accept?”
Arc froze. Reddened. And managed a very simple “Don’t push your luck.”
“Oh well, I guess it doesn’t hurt to try and besides you never know” Fern nudged Arc but getting a slap in the head in return instead of anything remotely affectionate.
“Oww! What was that for?”
“Being you” Arc stated like it was a really obvious fact and thanking the darkness again for concealing his face. “Let’s get going already, I’m sure your famished.”
“Ok, Ok” Fern followed Arc out of the park rubbing the sore on his head.
The Apartment was dark when the two walked in but it only took a few seconds for Arc to hit the light switch revealing a rather spacious living room.
“Wow this place is awesome!!” The flaming red head stared in awe and started picking at a few random objects and examining them like a curious child. “So do have a job or something? I mean to afford a place like this, after I finish my job I’ll probably get to live in a place like this too.” Fern smiled at the boy who is preoccupied with hanging up his coat and putting the shoes away.
“Well first thing it’s rude to ask about a person’s profession but now that you asked…No I don’t have a job in fact I really don’t even deserve this kind of life. I’m just fortunate to have very caring adoptive parents.” Arc replied blankly and wondered if Fern had an ounce of etiquette within him.
“OH WOW!! I’m so envious, but since you don’t technically ‘have’ a job you really should try to join the organization. It would great to work with you” Fern declared whilst playing with the teddy sitting on the recliner.
“Yea well we need to talk bout that, but we can do that during dinner.” Arc picked up the teddy and putting it back on the couch and staring at the guy who was now intrigued by the silk cushions on the sofa. “Why don’t you shower and I’ll prepare dinner. Just leave your clothes outside the bathroom, they’re due for a rinse anyway, I’ll leave a change of clothes for you in the bedroom,” Arc looked in the direction of the bedroom and washroom.
“Surething,” Fern blurted while working on pulling off his army style t-shirt revealing evenly tanned skin and rather fit body before locking himself in the bathroom.
“Wow the bathroom has a steam shower!!” A voice pierced through the oak doors.
“No decency at all…but I guess it has a certain charm to it…” Arc sighed to himself shaking away the thought and moved to the kitchen.
Fern went in to the bathroom, it wasn’t exactly ‘big’ but it had everything so he’s not about to complain. For a kid from a rather wealthy family Arc sure kept his place spotless, a trait really rare in today’s world Fern thought to himself. He opened the shower’s sliding door and allowed a wave of hot water to cleanse his skin from the filth that has been collecting on it for the past three days.
It wasn’t exactly fair that the organization gave him 700 pounds for his first job and that amount managed to last almost a month with Fern pretty much scrounging for his next meal.
Fern reached for the shampoo and massaged his hair which wasn’t much cleaner than his body, and then he rinsed off much of the suds and moved on to soaping his body…
Arc opened his fridge to see what was in stock and to have an idea of what he would actually cook. Normally anything would have been fine but today he had a guest so he couldn’t make just ‘anything’. Thinking to himself he grabbed the tomatoes, onions and various other ingredients and realizing that spaghetti seemed like a good idea for tonight. Simple and hard to pass up.
Spaghetti wasn’t actually hard and his cooking skills weren’t terrible Arc thought to himself. He readied the ingredients and put the onions and garlic in the food processor and…
Ten minutes later…
He set the sauce on a light fire and moved to the bedroom to get Fern his clothes. Apparently Fern was taking his time in the bathroom which was supposedly ‘AWESOME’. Arc ravaged through his armoire to see if there is anything that will fit the taller and overall just larger boy. He sighed as he went through his everyday clothes; the task is becoming harder than expected. If he can’t manage to find anything he’ll have a naked redhead waltzing around his apartment (something he wanted to avoid at all costs…).
After tiresome browsing he managed to come up with an overly large t-shirt that he bought last summer. It was on sale so he didn’t bother to try it on, and next on the list was a pair of free size jog bottoms (it was free size so he need not worry about fitting) and lastly the underwear…This one took him a while but he recalled the pair of boxers his friends bought him as a joke or something. It was a while ago so he couldn’t recall but the writing on it was more than enough to stop him from wearing it, it said ‘Sweet Buns’ across the behind of the boxers…He laid it down with the rest of the clothes and gave a brief moment to thank God that his friend bought it one size to big.
The bath room door flew open with a rather hungry looking Fern walking out with a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Mmmm…smells good” Fern made a sniffing gesture with his nose and looked at Arc holding what he suspected to be his PJs. “What are we having?”
“Spaghetti” Arc answered. “Oh sorry here’s your change of clothes he handed the contents he was holding over to the half naked man standing in front of him. He could’ve sworn his cheeks flushed if only a little.
Fern pulled up a pair of boxers and his face switched to hysterical mode whilst Arc reddened even further.
“Don’t ask,” Arc managed to slip out walking towards the kitchen with an eager Fern following. “Don’t worry I’ve never worn them EVER.”
“Really?” Fern made a face at Arc to mock him. “I wouldn’t mind you know,” he slipped out a cheeky grin.
Arc threw him a look and that conversation was officially ended.
“Go on eat up,” Arc gestured towards the food. “I have a couple of questions for you.”
Fern helped himself to a rather selfish helping unaware of the frosty eyes observing him. After gaping Arc followed him as well, using his powers increased his demands for food. Something he noticed after discovering his powers years ago.
“So what is it you wanna know? Ask away.” Fern said shoving a mouth full of food down his throat. “Oh by the way you’re a good cook,” he winked at the silver hair mage eating across the table.
“Thanks,” Arc smiled back. “Well first of all it’s about your organization, do they have a name? And why are they interested in my powers? And if you have any powers yourself?” At the last question he made it clear that he noticed the boy’s flame colored hair and his ruby eyes, not something that is considered ‘normal’ acirding to human standards.
“Wow that’s a lot, where do I start?” He made it more of a statement than a question. “First of all I can’t tell you the name unless you actually decide to join for SURE, and they are interested in magic not specific to your powers only, you see the organization is exclusive and to join you need to have powers and that answers your third question as well. Yes I do have ‘powers’ but lets just call it magic instead of ‘powers’.” Moving on to the next plate of spaghetti that he already prepared in advance.
“Okay then if that’s the case then you’re scouting members for this organization. So if this organization focuses on magic then they can explain why I have powers?”
“Well errghh…yes my job is to scout for members but I’m not sure if they could explain why you have your powers cause I’m kinda not even in the organization myself…you see to get into the organization you are required to do a job for them first and mine happens to be ‘find a magic wielding human and bring them to the organization of their own will’,” he quoted his so called boss in a mocking tone which managed to earn him a smile from Arc. “However judging from their headquarters and their population there’s a pretty good chance that someone in there is gonna know at least a little bit bout your magical talent, they haven’t told me anything about mine either but they promised me they would when I join and lets face it, its not everyday you meet people who understands your differences.” Fern managed to look sad for a split second before returning to his cheery self.
Arc wiped the sorrow from his as quickly as Fern did and continued, “So you say you ‘have’ magic...care to demonstrate?”
“Well if you put it that way how could I refuse.”
Fern held up his hand and picked up the cherry sitting aside the grapes and oranges in the fruit basket. Arc noticed the air becoming hotter and breathing has become rather difficult. The cherry levitated above the center of Fern’s palm and ignited into an orb of scarlet fire which was put out by Fern closing his palm revealing an rather dark piece of charcoal or what was until ten seconds ago a ripe cherry. He disposed of the cinder in the sink and then took his seat again putting another fork full of food into his mouth.
“Well I see you have more to you than I can see,” Arc mentioned but suppressing the ‘WOW’ that was about to slip out.
“Gee thanks,” Fern beamed back at him.
“That explains the Infernus part about your name,”
“Well what about you? Arc is a rather strange name too, anything behind that?”
“It’s short for Arcticon…”
“See that explains the ice thing you did, my parents named me Infernus because I supposedly was impossible to touch when I was mad as a child. They even showed me burns to prove it but I guess they had enough of it when they left me when I was fourteen…but it wasn’t that bad I worked in a circus for a while as a fire dancer until I ran into a scout for the ‘organization’ and here I am looking for a better life.” Fern said with a happy face but his eyes showed melancholy.
“I’m sorry to hear that…I never knew my real parents either I was left of the door step of my adoptive parents with only a note telling them my name. They have been kind to me but I have caused a lot of grief with my magic too but they have always forgiven me and so here I am applying for Uni in London. Never knowing who my parents were never bugged me cause my adoptive parents never rejected me in anyway even though I was ‘different’.”
“So tomorrow I guess we’ll be going to this organization to deliver you right?”
“I guess…it might give me insight of why I am like this…” he pulled a strand of silver hair in front of his eyes and sighed.
Fern got up and took both their dishes and put it in the dish washer and smiled back at the serious looking Arc sitting lost in thought.
“Oh by the way clothes are on dry wash so you should be able to wear them again tomorrow,” Arc pointed at his washing machine.
“Okay then, thanks a lot for dinner I enjoyed it and now time for BED!!,” Fern chuckled to himself. “I noticed that as nice as this place is it only has ONE bedroom hohohoho :P” He winked at Arc who doesn’t look very impressed.
“We were having a moment and you just killed it. Did you know that?”
“Oh come on I promise I won’t do anything. Pretty pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaase, I don’t like the dark and I’m especially prone to the cold. So can I use the bed as well?” He tried on his puppy dog eyes again.
“Well if you haven’t noticed there are two sofas and a recliner, go on help yourself, I’ll go and get you a spare blanket and a pillow.” They were now walking into the living room.
“But still, it’s warmer if I’m not alone in this big room,”
Arc sighed “Look it’ll be colder if you were with me, so when you wake up tomorrow I’ll have two things I have to defrost, firstly breakfast and secondly only if I’m in a good mood, you. Get the picture?” Arc let out a wave of cold air making the room temperature drop a couple of degrees before returning to normal. “Look I’m helping you keep your job, fed you and gave you a place to sleep. I would think that’d be enough.” He reminded the discontented looking Fern in front of him.
“Fine I’ll take the couch, but are you sure you won’t let me use the bed as well?” The discontentment didn’t last when Fern flashed another one of his already becoming infamous smiles.
“ErggHHH!!. You’re impossible you know that!” Arc snapped.
“Yep, I noe”
They ended up sharing the same bed…………………………
Fern is happy………………………………………
Arc sighed himself to sleep………………………………..
OKAY!! Hehe that was the first chapt of my first story. Hope ya’ll enjoyed it, but im not reli sure how to write a slash either. So I probably made countless mistakes but please forgive me, it is my first. I lurv suggestions and tips so if you help I’ll lurv you too lol. I can handle criticism so you don’t have to hold back (I think I might regret saying that but I guess its for my own good ;P)
Till the next chapter then…………………..
Oh btw. I dedicate this first chapter to graphitesmudges. (thanks for introducing me to LJ and don't kill me...)