That’s my working title. Wrote this little thing as part of a “fun fanfic” challenge.
Summary: Aleister worries that Grace may want more than he can give her.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters. They belong to Pixelberry. I’m borrowing them for some fun.
***
Aleister pushed around his food on this plate, his face contorted in disgust. “This is our fate, my dearest Grace. We are the survivors of this blasted Earth and I am stuck eating the uncivilized food of the Vaanti.” He looked at the coconut half in front of him and to his dismay, the milk had been consumed, leaving just the meat behind.
“Do you ever just sit back and dream of an amuse-bouche?” He closed his eyes, the image of caviar dancing in his head. After a few minutes, he realized he hadn’t heard a response from Grace. He opened an eye and noticed she wasn’t paying attention.
Grace was absentmindedly eating pieces of pineapple while staring out at the outdoor, makeshift dining hall in Seraxa’s private quarters. His eyes followed her gaze.
“Remember when we told Edgar that the Pokemon Go tournament would be in the quad but it was really at the park!” Zahra had fallen back into Craig as the two of them could barely contain their laughter.
“Chyeah! He was walking around for an hour before he realized we were all actually down by Vasquez’s office!” Craig tossed a piece of fish towards his mouth but Zahra quickly caught it, putting it in hers.
Grace sighed, looking back at Aleister. “I’m going to get more fish. Would you like some?” He shook his head and watched her walk off.
***
“Want me to rub some sunblock on your back?” Grace plopped down next to Aleister on the beach. He had finagled some philodendron leaves into a makeshift beach umbrella.
Aleister was lying down on a towel and reading The Divine Comedy, a book fitting for his situation. One that he found, serendipitously, in his father’s library at the Celestial. He looked up at her. “No, thank you, my Grace. I’ve already applied.”
She shrugged and looked out at the ocean. Aleister cleared his throat, “Nor when the wretched Icarus his flanks/ Felt stripped of feathers by the melting wax/ His father crying/ An ill way thou takest! …”
Grace bent her knees and hugged them, her eyes fixated on the clear, blue shore.
“Sean!” Michelle squealed as he tossed her in the air. “Sean Gayle!” Sean caught Michelle and twirled her in the water. She tossed her head back, laughing.
Wrenching herself out of Sean’s grasp, she giggled and swam away from him. After a shallow jump, he grabbed onto her waist, pulling her back against his chest. “Gotcha!”
Aleister continued, “… Than was my own, when I perceived myself/ On all sides in the air, and saw extinguished/ The sight of everything but the monster.”
“Do you want to take a swim?” Grace tilted her head at him. He shook his head and watched her pout, laying down on the sand next to him.
***
“What to read today, my darling?” Aleister held the door of the Celestial’s library open for Grace. She smiled at him as she tucked in.
“I suppose we could go for some Shakespeare …” Grace started wandering off but stopped abruptly as she noticed some activity in the far corner of the room.
“Oh, Jake!” Taylor was against the wall with her legs wrapped around Jake’s waist. His face was buried in her neck, kissing it.
“Let’s get out of here, Princess.” He maneuvered to scoop her in his arms, bridal style.
“Hey there, Malfoy and Granger!” Taylor giggled as Jake carried her past Grace and Aleister and out of the room.
Aleister’s pale face reddened. “They have sullied the good name of my father’s library! She’s turning more and more into that imbecile as the days go on.” He looked at Grace whose gaze was fixed towards the door, a dreamy look on her face. “Grace, my sweet?”
Figuratively swooning, she answered, “Let’s get Much Ado About Nothing.”
***
Aleister sat in his room alone. It was dark and he had a candle lit. He had expected a night cap with Grace but she had told him she wanted to go to bed early.
His porcelain skin was illuminated by the candle and the moonlight streaming through his window. His eyes met his reflection on the mirror and he frowned. The world had ended and he was given a chance to restart. Show Grace that he can be the man she deserved.
Grace deserved elegance, poetry, glances from across the room, slow dances on the beach, and soft kisses on the forehead.
Yet she seemed to want something different. Her heart seemed to skip a beat when she saw the animalistic behaviors of Craig, ripping a gaming system out of Zahra’s hands. Her eyes widened when Sean arrogantly strutted towards Michelle. How an intelligent creature like Michelle could be swept away by that insipid, overbearing eagle was beyond him. And Jacob. Grace was downright giddy when that hedonistic fool would engage in public and not very private displays of affection with Taylor. Did they ever have a conversation? A discussion about anything real?
Another sigh. He didn’t want Grace to be yet another person to think he wasn’t good enough. Aleister didn’t want a repeat of … his father. His father who recently perished. Perished without telling Aleister the words he longed to hear.
Humming to himself, Aleister looked at the candle. Whispering, he began to sing, “Papa … can you hear me? Papa, can you see me? Papa, can you find me in the liiiight.”
Standing up, he grabbed the throw that was on his couch and wrapped it around his shoulders. “Papa … are you near me? Papa can you help me not be frigh-tened.”
Aleister performed a perfect pirouette towards the window and with a strong voice, he belted “Papa! Please forgive me! Try to understand me … Papa! Don’t you know I had no choooiice!”
Slumping to the ground, he felt hot tears roll down his cheeks. No. He cannot go through the heartbreak his father put him through again. He will have to do what he must to make Grace happy.
“Aleister?” Grace’s soft voice wafted into the room.
“Grace!” He scrambled to stand up, cursing his eyes for being wet. “What is it, my love?”
“I heard you singing.” She walked into the room and sat on the couch, reaching a hands towards him. “You have a beautiful singing voice, you know.”
He nodded and sat down next to her. “Grace Tamara Hall.” She raised her brows as he took her hands. “I realize I am not like the others. I’m not a brute, a leader, or a rebel.”
“Aleister?”
“Oh, Grace. I want to give you everything you desire.”
“Who says you aren’t giving me what I desire?”
“I see how you look at the others. You want more than I what I can give you.”
She shook her head and laughed. “Oh, Aleister! I’m a romantic. I like to see people in love.” She cupped his slender face in her small hands. “You’re everything I need, you curmudgeon.”
Unable to fight the tears in his eyes, he hugs the small woman. “I love you, Grace Hall.”
She tightened her grip on him. “I love you, as well. Aleister Rourke.”
