#rosefic

L:

Love would be nice. Ilya liked the idea of love. He suspected, but could not prove, that he would be good at being in love; that he would enjoy it, and it would come naturally to him. He loved Sveta, and he had loved Sasha, but he had never been in love with either of them. It felt like a waste. There was so much in him going unused.

A:

“Always so generous, Ilyushka.”

“Only for you,” Ilya murmured. His neck was starting to ache from being bent back at this angle, but he held obediently still as Svetlana cupped his chin in her hand and lent down to kiss him on one cheek, then the other. Her warm mouth was sticky with gloss. Ilya could feel it on his skin when she pulled away.

“There.” Sveta smoothed her thumbs across his cheekbones, sounding pleased. “I knew gold would suit you.”

“If you say so,” Ilya said. He felt agreeable and indulgent, loosened by wine. Without looking away from him, Svetlana wiggled her fingers in Sasha’s direction. He handed her a compact mirror. The transfer between their hands was so smooth that it reminded Ilya, absurdly, of surgery. Scalpel, please.

K:

“Kiss him, suck him, I don’t know. Maybe both.” 

He grinned lewdly and stuck out his tongue. Ilya tried to wrestle the cigarette from him. Sasha tutted and held it at arm’s length.

“Don’t be such a brute.”

“Stop talking about Hollander’s dick,” Ilya snapped.

“He’s hot! Big strong hockey player… nice hands, pretty eyes.” Sasha ashed his cigarette and shrugged. “If you’re not going to fuck me, someone else should get a chance.”

Ilya’s laugh felt like someone had choked it out of him.

“You think Hollander is going to fuck you?”

“Yes, I think so. I think he liked me.” Sasha cocked his head. His smile was thin and knowing. “Why, is that a problem for you?”

E:

Eventually this tactic had failed them, and they had been forced to admit the truth out loud. Ilya was leaving. He wanted to go.

Sasha looked down at him pensively from the tabletop. His sly mouth was colored pink tonight, a slight glossy sheen. His dark eyes glittered with kohl. Ilya wanted to get up from his chair and loom between his legs, but there was no point in trying. Sasha wouldn’t allow it. He’d just laugh and swat Ilya away. Oaf. Get off. You’ll smudge me.

“So whose idea was it? America.” Sasha made a show of counting on his fingers. “My dad, your dad, Sveta’s dad…”

“I’m ignoring you,” Ilya muttered. He tipped his head back to drain his glass. The stitched scab above his eyebrow itched.

Y:

“You motherfucker.” His voice was fond, rough from sleep. “Did you get an airport taxi?”

“Yes,” Ilya said, distracted. He was busy nuzzling the inviting hollow at the base of Shane’s throat, where the smell of him was strongest.

“That’s so expensive, Ilya.”

“Yes, I am very poor,” Ilya said dryly. “I have bankrupted myself coming to see you.”

“You could’ve called. I would have picked you up.”

Ilya, losing patience, fumbled to grab Shane’s hands so he could pin them to the pillow above his head. Shane swore and laughed, squirming, but Ilya held firm. 

“Shut up,” he murmured, pressing their noses together. “Say thank you for the surprise.”

Blunt and harsh pain in Roseby’s side roused him from his slumber, his body rough and stiff from being throw to the floor.  He glared up at the person who had tossed him before grunting as a boot pressed to the back of his head forcing his face into the tiles of the floor.  He looked around from what he could see and saw that Grey was coming down from a panic attack and Scar was on edge, but was sitting up.

A female voice cut through the air behind Roseby’s back, “You’ve been a real problem, you know that?  A rebellion is not easy to organize, and to see a small group of vigilantes run in, trying to save the day.”  The boot threatened to start crushing his head and he scowled at the pressure, “What a joke.  You are a bunch of war criminals in my mind.”

The pressure relented and huffed as he slowly sat up, his hands tied behind him and looking around, the rest of his group was in the same sorry state.  He heard the quiet clicking of heeled boots as the female moved before him, her dark pink flames moving smoothly, which only further unsettled him.  He looked her up and down, but looked over at the gasp and pained noises coming from the side of the room.  Grey had dimmed and was staring at the girl.

“J…….Jade?  You’re alive?”  Grey lightly shook his head and started to move to stand, but was kicked in the back, knocking him to the floor again.

Jade sneered down at him, “You are pathetic.  It’s you fault they died, and now you want everyone to suffer as well.  You were always worthless.”  She spit in his direction and folded her arms.

Scar glanced over at her, looking steeled and unfazed, “Who exactly are you?”

Jade smirked at the question and waved her arms out, “For now, I am your host, and if I feel the need, your judge, jury, and executioner.  Am I making myself clear?”  The group didn’t move, but Roseby glanced between her and Grey, to which she laughed, “Oh?  Do you mean to him?”  She jerked a thumb toward Grey, “He’s my little brother, and our parents killer.”

All the group, except Roseby looked over to Grey in shock, but Roseby looked straight at Jade and scoffed, “No he didn’t.”  This time all the heads turned to Roseby as he continued, “I know a killer, and I can tell you right now, that Grey isn’t one.  So whatever bullshit you are spitting out, I don’t want it.”

Blue leaned forward and spoke up, “I know what you are trying to do, and it won’t work.  We won’t go at each other’s throats because of a sibling squabble that isn’t our problem or concern.  If you won’t get to the point, then how about we just kick your ass ourselves.”

A creeking was heard behind the group and footsteps followed, “What a lively group.  I didn’t think you would be easy to break, but I didn’t expect that you would be so verbal either.”  The footsteps moved closer behind Roseby, and his mind raced as he felt that the voice had to be familiar to him.  He ran through every possibility as the slow footsteps moved closer.

Was it someone at a club?  No, he clearly knew them more than that if he remembered the voice.  Was it a target he never struck at?  Definitely not, he never let anyone go.  So where could it be from?  It had to have been a long time ago, but left a mark on him memory.  Who could have done that?

Roseby, Scar, and Grey froze as they looked up at the speaker, finally in line of sight.  Rose fumbled with words for a moment before speaking only one, “Hellfire.”

Violet looked over, still quite scared and leaning toward Carmine, “Hellfire?”

The new figure, a fire elemental of bright orange and yellow flames chuckled, though more to himself than anything else, “It’s been a long time since someone called me that.  Please, call me Grillby.”

Roseby snarled as Scar and Grey became defensive, “What is this game.  Who are you people?”  A thought hit Roseby as he looked up at Grillby, “Wait, it was Royal Guards that brought us in.  We are on your side then.  We are trying to save the king.”

Jade burst out laughing and curled over, “You think we are working for the king?  You are a fool.”

Carmine seemed uncomfortable, “Jade, what is this?  You were helping us right?”

The others glared over before Blue seemed to realize something and look back up at Jade, “So you are the right hand to this?  Then who is in charge?  Tell us.”

Grillby chuckled and folded his arms behind his back, “You are speaking to him.”

Roseby snarled and looked down.  He had to find a way out and quickly.  If this was actually happening, then they were in danger.  There was a likely chance that none of them would leave there alive.

Roseby twitched as he heard movement, but he was pulled to his feet and pushed forward a short distance.  He glared up at Grillby who just smiled before waving a hand and he heard a door on the far end of the room open where two armored figures dragged in a figure and tossed them to the floor.  Roseby had to hide his flinch as he saw the flames he knew so well.

“Ashen?”  Grey sat up more, looking a bit panicked.  “Why is she here?  What do you want with her?”

Jade quickly walked over to Grey and kicked him in the face with a snarl, “Shut up.  We will get to you later.”

Scar looked up at her flatly, “You say that, but it seems he is the one connected to her.  How could you not be attacking Grey?”

Grillby chuckled and looked at Roseby evenly, “Because it’s this one’s sister.”

Roseby glared at Grillby as the room locked onto him.  Grillby didn’t smile beyond the small one he seemed to have burned onto his face, and his eyes were blank of any hints to motives.

Ashen lightly pushed herself up and looked over at Roseby, “You…...You’re my brother?  But…….he died.  Right?”

Grillby looked back at the confused girl and spoke flatly, “It seemed you were ill informed girl, but your brother was very aware of your connection this whole time.”

Ashen looked back up at him, but Roseby looked away.  She started to open her mouth to talk, but Grillby’s voice was loud and commanding, “And what a reason to keep it a secret.  You wouldn’t want anyone to know that the serial killer of the underground had any family or friends, now did you.  But things can change in the blink of an eye.”

Ashen stilled and dimmed a bit as she looked at Roseby.  She seemed unable to bring herself to any more words.

Scar jumped to his feet, kicking away the guard behind him and snarled as his flames kicked up, “I am about done with this.  Either you let us go, or I burn this whole place down.  If you are the leader, than we win if we kill you, even if it kills all of us too.”

Roseby stiffened, afraid of what Scar was planning.  He would normally let him do it, knowing it was right, but was hesitating with his sister within the blast range.  He looked back at Scar, but was ready to give the order.  Ashen was already in danger because people knew who she was.  She was safer dead now, and so was he.

Grillby shook his head and tilted his head, “Now, now.  No need to be hasty friend.  We don’t want to make a decision we might regret.”

A female cry was heard before a woman was pushed through the door and a small flame girl ran after, “Mother.  Please don’t hurt my mother.”

Scar’s flames quickly calmed and dimmed as he looked at the new additions to the room.  His voice was barely above a whisper, “Ember?  Indigo?”

Roseby looked back at Scar before glaring at Grillby, “So you just pulled all our families into this?  Who is next?  Blue?  Carmine?”

Grillby chuckled and shook his head, “Blue’s family wouldn’t mind hearing that he died.  Especially if he went against a war hero.  Carmine seems to have no one except for Violet, and the same for him.  So we already have all the pieces in place, don’t we?”

Ember sat up and wrapped a protective arm around Indigo before looking over at Scar in fear.  Roseby looked down, Grillby was right.  He had everyone’s weaknesses right before them.  Almost everyone.

He looked up at Grillby again, who showed the first sign of surprise, “I’m not losing to you.  I don’t care the cost.  A few people for all of the underground.  For all of monsters and humanity.  To avoid war, I will do whatever it takes, and I would think that everyone else here agrees that we can’t let you do anything.”

Roseby’s flames began to grow, his magic being pulled forward before he cried out.  He looked down slowly while trembling, finding a blade plunged into his chest, the hilt in Grillby’s hand.  The blade was quickly pulled out and Roseby fell to the floor with a scowl.  Ashen pushed away from her guards and up to Roseby, Grillby raising a hand to tell them to let her.

She knelt by Roseby and quickly looked over the wound trying to heal it.  Her magic bounced away and she quickly stopped with a cry of pain, pulling her hands away as they steamed.

Scar looked up at Grillby as he sheathed the blade again, “It’s a special blade, I had a close friend make.  It repels magic energy and cannot be healed.  Naturally or otherwise.  I recommend saying your goodbyes while you have the chance.”

Roseby looked up at Ashen and frowned before turning to Scar, his words slightly gurgled through his blood, “Scar.  Just do it.  We aren’t getting out of here, we can’t let him win.”

Scar looked between his friend and his family, torn between what he wanted to do, and what he needed to do.  It felt like the world had turned against him.  Nothing from the war, the underground, in his life, had prepared him for this.  He took one last look at his family before willing every ounce of his being into his flames.

He cried out as he felt his shoulder be hit from before, and quickly move downward.  He collapsed as he heard his arm land before him.  He reached his other arm up to the wound as he trembled from the agony hitting his body.

“Father!”  Indigo reached out, but was quickly pulled close to her mother.

“Scar!”  Grey leaned toward his friend in worry, the wound starting to pool out viscus blue liquid.  “Scar, keep it together, we can get you treated.”

Grillby nodded and walked over to Ember, she pulled Indigo closer, hiding the child from the horrible sights, but was crying into her mother’s chest.  He looked over at Scar as he spoke, “You have made a mistake.  I was going to let you go.  Actually, my hope was to let you off, or ask you to help me instead, but that doesn't seem possible anymore.”  Grillby drew out the blade again and inspected it as he continued, “It seems I need to get my point across though, so we are removing your ability to do widespread damage, and showing you what will happen to anyone else you know if you try to cross me ever again.”

Grillby swiftly moved the blade and it slid into the back of Indigo’s head, and into Ember’s chest.  Her eyes widened as she looked down and gurgled screams left her as the blade was pulled away and Indigo went limp in her mother’s arms.  She cried, and her voice getting softer every second before she fell to her side and scattered into dust with her daughter.

Scar froze.  He curled his head closer and choked on sobs as he fell into shock from both his injury and the sight he just witnessed.  The rest of the group didn’t breath as the silence hung in the air.

Grillby cleared his throat and walked toward the door behind them again, “I’ll leave you at this point.  You now realize what will happen if you continue to fight against me, so I would recommend that you don’t.”  Jade went to speak, but quickly decided otherwise.  She glared at the group before walking after him.  He quickly walked away and the guards followed after, slamming the door behind him.

Ashen was trembling, quietly humming to herself to try and keep herself level.  Grey moved a bit closer, speaking quietly, “Ashen, you need to calm down.  There is nothing we can do for them, but there are still people alive, and we need to go with that.”

“A…..shen…..”  Ashen jumped and looked down at Roseby, who was dimming quickly and looked to be numbing from the shock and magic loss, “I won’ make it.  You have to help Scar and get everyone out of here.  Please, don’t let them die.”

Ashen looked down and frowned for a moment, “I won’t let you die.  I only just found out you’re my brother.  I can’t just let you die.”  She reached back to his wound and he snatched her wrist.

“Don’t.  You already know what will happen.  Scar won’t make it if you try to help me, so at least save someone from this.”  He looked up at her with a weak smile, “I know you want to help.  You always do, but this time you can’t.  I’m sorry.”  He pulled her down and gave a weak half hug before pushing her back, “Now get moving.  You need to get away from here quickly.”

Ashen paused for a moment with tears in her eyes before nodding and running over to Scar.  She moved her hands to his shoulder, gently moving his hand away, but he kept looking over at the dust that was his family.  She focused on the wound and worked to seal the hole, getting it enough that is wasn’t bleeding anymore, but faltered.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped, seeing Blue through her tears.  He nodded to the door, “You can’t do anymore right now.  Let’s move him somewhere else.”

She nodded and stood, Blue and Carmine moving to Scar’s side, helping him up and toward the door.  Ashen looked back at Roseby one more time before rushing out the door with Violet.

Grey looked back as the last still in the room and looked at Roseby, “We don’t blame you.  You did everything you could.”

Roseby chuckled and coughed, a pool of deep pink growing under him, “Yeah.  I know you don’t.  But I do.  I let this happen.”

Grey sighed and looked away, “Anything else you want to say.  Speaking that this is your last chance.”

Roseby looked over, expression hard, “Don’t die.  It doesn’t matter anymore.  We can’t let the innocent die anymore.  Please don’t let anyone else die for this.”