The Mavericks
"Go away, Demetria Juno." Octavian kept his eyes fixed ahead as Demetria fluttered along behind him. They had been fighting on and off since Liberty had had her babies. Although none of this was Rogue's fault. Octavian blamed Dawn for overreacting to a harmless joke, and he felt that his twin had betrayed him. He didn't care whose idea it had been. He just didn't *like* being around Demetria any longer.
"Tavvie!" She cried out, shocked.
"Look, why don't you just sod off and go play with Dawnie? I bet if you really try, you could turn me into something that was creative." The corner of his eyes twitched. Demetria reached out and he whirled around, batting her hand away. "GO AWAY! Can't you just leave me alone?" He asked her almost plaintively. Demetria put a shaking hand to her mouth, blue eyes beginning to well with tears. He made a disgusted noise. "Demetria, I've known since you were born. Innocence is not a look you can wear."
Demetria's eyes narrowed and she slapped him full across the face, turning his head and splitting his lip. Horrified realisation of her action scurried across her expressive visage as Octavian slowly turned his head to face her again. A slight trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth as his eyes paled to a hard slatey blue. "Tav, I, oh my goodness!"
"Go away Demetria, before I forget it isn't gentlemanly to hit women. And notice, I did not say ladies," he whispered, rage gleaming from his eyes like ice. Demetria's lip quivered, and then she threw back her head and glared back.
"You degenerate cad."
"Little girl playing dress ups and make believe. Wake up and smell the roses, Demetria Juno. I am not a toy that you can play with until it breaks." He took her by the shoulders and shook her hard. "You are not the goddess your name suggests!"
"Nor are you half the leader yours would!" She spat back, blue eyes darkening like a sotrmy sea until they were almost black.
"At least *I* know that, and I do not play games with the lives of others!"
"Oh, really? What would you call being part of the Mavericks then?" Demetria sneered. Octavain dropped her, face sliding into blankness.
"Leave me be, Demetria Juno. Just...leave me be." Octavian took advantage of his powers and ran, jumped over the wall of the mansion in one graceful arc and disappeared. Demetria ran after him, lifting herself into the air and teleporting but she couldn't find him. She burst into tears. Oh, she'd really done it this time. They'd squabbled before, but now...she dropped to her knees and sobbed, wrapping her arms around herself and crying hard as she rocked back and forth slightly.
Octavian ran faster into the woods and swung around back to the mansion, re-entering the grounds but far enough away that Demetria wouldn't see. He *really* did not want to talk to her, or even look at her. Most of all, he didn't want to listen to her. In a bit of a daze, he climbed methodically to the roof of the mansion and settled himself in a spot where he couldn't be seen from the ground. He didn't understand her anymore, he realised sadly. And she didn't, or couldn't, understand him. That hurt. Octavian leant his chin on his hands and stared out into space, lost in thought.
Demetria sat on her bed after teleporting herself there and cried into her pillow before eventually falling asleep. If the other girls came in, they didn't wake her. Nyx looked in for a moment, then drifted off again, her mind concetrated on her own problems. The loss of her magick and the continuiing disappearance of Mouse.
Octavian watched the sun set and the stars decorate the sky. He wished that he had his violin...Mordred appeared next to him, and Octavian glanced over before continuing to gaze into the night sky.
"Dem's very upset."
"So am I," Octavian said reasonably. The two of them sat in silence for a bit. Mordred sighed and leaned back onto the slant of the roof.
"Wanna fag?"
"Sure." Mordred passed a cigarette over and lit it when Octavian held it out for him. He calmly lit his own as Octavian coughed but continued doggedly inhaling from the cigarette.
"How long since the last one?"
"One year, three months and five days," Octavian rattled off, fingers holding the cigarette delicately. Mordred chuckled.
"That long, huh?"
"Oh god, I needed a smoke. Demtria is driving me insane. Her and the magic with the demon of hell named Dawn." Mordred snickered. "I am convinced that girl is actually a denizon of hell, put here to make my life miserable. She turned me into a bloody bint, for christ's sake!"
"You made a lovely girl though."
Octavian grinned cockily. "Mainly cos I'm such an handsome bloke."
"In your dreams. Well, I brought this up for you." Mordred produced Octavian's violin and the blond youth took it thoughtfully, settling it under his chin. "I'll go now."
"Philistine."
"And happily so." Mordred disappeared. Octavian started to play softly, something mournful and low but somehow promised hope. He watched the moon rise and smiled slightly as he coaxed melody from the strings of his instrument.