Hammer held onto Brig's arm as they watched Vivienne and his father argue. Finally she was confronting him and Vigo's response was to threatened her. But Hammer was confused. How could Vigo understand the strong bond between Vivienne and Brig, how their scents bound them to each other?
"He had it with my mother," Hammer said slowly. It all made sense. His father's reaction to his mother's death, how Vigo pushed Hammer away, unable to care for him emotionally, and his disdain for tradition, never having any more sons or even considering remarrying.
Footsteps came up behind him and whispers from the Pipers returning from their own run were hushed by the LT.
"Sir?" LT asked his uncle, but Brig watched focused on his mate and her father.
Their father, Hammer thought to himself.
"One second, Lieutenant."
"Hammer," Brig said, looking at him. His face was tense with anger and fear that Viv might just listen to her father.
"If she doesn't do this now, Brig, he'll never understand." Hammer mumbled quietly, just as Vigo reared his left hand up and hit Vivienne across the face, knocking her to the ground.
Good morning, sunshine!
Continues from Et tu, Moon?, Red's storyline 48 hours with Cam
Lewis leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He had gotten up early to run more diagnostics on the core computer system that had the hidden mole. There was only so much he could do to avoid letting whoever was watching know that he knew they were there, so it was business as usual. The secondary parallel system was still running separate from the core, gathering as much information on the leak as possible. He wasn't sure what he could do with that information once he obtained it, however, seeing how he couldn't talk about it without having a severe nosebleed and migraine.
Watching the perimeter cameras as they stood vigilant and hidden along the edge of the property, he yawned loudly as his phone began to vibrate. Leaning forward he picked it up and looked at it.
"Oh shit!"
Lewis turned and almost fell out of his chair as he ran toward the door. "Damnit!" Running back, he set the system on auto and ran back out to the stairs leading up the ground level of Den.
Texting as he double timed it up the stairs, he ran down the long corridor to the wing where the Pipers were readying themselves for their morning run. Sending his text, he ran up to Marko's door and began pounding on it. Marko immediately poked his head out as Lewis ran down to the next door.
"Now?" Marko asked with wide eyes.
"Right now!" Lewis yelled, pounding on the doors.
Iov Hammerthynn
13 years ago
Vivienne Sena
13 years ago
Viv saw it coming. How could she not? She knew this man from head to toe, balls to bones. Knew how he thought, how he would act, and with what hand he'd strike her with. Viv saw it coming and did not flinch.
She hit the ground with a resounding crack of her cheekbone resulting in what she liked to call 'the triad of face breaks'. Technically speaking Vigo damn near shattered the bone that held the orbital rim and zygomatic arch - but in layman's terms, he backhanded the shit out of her.
So not only had he hit her in anger for the first time in her life, Viv did not prepare herself for the blow, adding to the humiliation. It was as if she felt she deserved it and maybe her subconscious was telling her by not preventing the hit, which she easily could have, that she did. Shaking her head slowly, she tried to stop the spinning when Vigo's words filtered into her head.
"...a whore, a filthy Vyusher R'asa stain that I saved and this is how you repay me?"
There were footsteps and voices yelling over Vigo's. A hand reached out to her and she had the presence of mind to pull away from it.
"No, no," she mumbled, pushing the hands away.
"Vigo, stop. BRIG STOP!"
That was Duncan's voice yelling over the other voices. Slowly, she put her hands flat on the ground and put a knee underneath her, but her equilibrium betrayed her, rolling her back and finally she could see what the yelling was about.
Hammer, Lothias, Marko, and Duncan were holding Vigo back as he tried to lunge at Vivienne. Lewis, Marthinus, and Domingo were pushing back on Brig, trying to keep him away from her father. Where the hell had they all come from, she wondered to herself as she tried to stand again. Twisting, she got her knee up under her again and she pushed off the ground, standing - just barely - on her own two feet. She tasted blood in her mouth and she reached up, her fingers grazing her broken cheek bone and felt the cut along her now split lip. His large hand had covered quite a bit of distance on her face. Impressive, she thought with a shaky laugh.
Vigo glared at her, pulling at the men holding him back, but Vivienne just stood there, looking at him. She no longer recognized him, this man who she called father for over fifty years. In an uncharacteristic show of fury, he pointed at her and spit his venom.
"You are nothing like Emma, Vivienne. She would have never, NEVER, betrayed me like you have. After all I did for you."
"You mean did to me, Vigo. Did to me."
Vigo stopped and his eyes went wide.
Viv took a step back and nearly tripped again, forcing LT to pull away from Vigo and come to her. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and stood defiant. LT stood back, watching. Viv looked down at her clothes and wiped the dust off. She then looked over and pointed at Brig who stopped when she turned her attention to him.
"I choose him."
"Babe," Brig said, his voice cracking with relief.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance," Vigo sputtered.
"Yes. You should have." Looking back up at Vigo, she spit a mouth full of her blood in front of him and turned away.
She hit the ground with a resounding crack of her cheekbone resulting in what she liked to call 'the triad of face breaks'. Technically speaking Vigo damn near shattered the bone that held the orbital rim and zygomatic arch - but in layman's terms, he backhanded the shit out of her.
So not only had he hit her in anger for the first time in her life, Viv did not prepare herself for the blow, adding to the humiliation. It was as if she felt she deserved it and maybe her subconscious was telling her by not preventing the hit, which she easily could have, that she did. Shaking her head slowly, she tried to stop the spinning when Vigo's words filtered into her head.
"...a whore, a filthy Vyusher R'asa stain that I saved and this is how you repay me?"
There were footsteps and voices yelling over Vigo's. A hand reached out to her and she had the presence of mind to pull away from it.
"No, no," she mumbled, pushing the hands away.
"Vigo, stop. BRIG STOP!"
That was Duncan's voice yelling over the other voices. Slowly, she put her hands flat on the ground and put a knee underneath her, but her equilibrium betrayed her, rolling her back and finally she could see what the yelling was about.
Hammer, Lothias, Marko, and Duncan were holding Vigo back as he tried to lunge at Vivienne. Lewis, Marthinus, and Domingo were pushing back on Brig, trying to keep him away from her father. Where the hell had they all come from, she wondered to herself as she tried to stand again. Twisting, she got her knee up under her again and she pushed off the ground, standing - just barely - on her own two feet. She tasted blood in her mouth and she reached up, her fingers grazing her broken cheek bone and felt the cut along her now split lip. His large hand had covered quite a bit of distance on her face. Impressive, she thought with a shaky laugh.
Vigo glared at her, pulling at the men holding him back, but Vivienne just stood there, looking at him. She no longer recognized him, this man who she called father for over fifty years. In an uncharacteristic show of fury, he pointed at her and spit his venom.
"You are nothing like Emma, Vivienne. She would have never, NEVER, betrayed me like you have. After all I did for you."
"You mean did to me, Vigo. Did to me."
Vigo stopped and his eyes went wide.
Viv took a step back and nearly tripped again, forcing LT to pull away from Vigo and come to her. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and stood defiant. LT stood back, watching. Viv looked down at her clothes and wiped the dust off. She then looked over and pointed at Brig who stopped when she turned her attention to him.
"I choose him."
"Babe," Brig said, his voice cracking with relief.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance," Vigo sputtered.
"Yes. You should have." Looking back up at Vigo, she spit a mouth full of her blood in front of him and turned away.
Vigo Hammerthynn
13 years ago
Vigo felt the words come out of his mouth and he instantly regretted it. Vivienne spat at him and then turned her back. All at once Vigo's world came crashing down.
"Vivienne, no. Please," he begged as she stumbled away from him. "VIVIENNE!"
"Jesus, Vigo. Just let her go," Duncan said through gritted teeth.
The hysteria rose up in him, reminding him of that feeling that nearly suffocated him when he came home that day and found his Emma on the floor, dead. Vigo had stood there for at least five minutes, staring at her lifeless body. Her scent was still in the air, but it was tainted. Wrong. He called out to her quietly. 'Emma, baby?' over and over again until he fell to his knees next to her. Finally he touched her.
She was so cold.
The terror of that loss and inevitably tortured pain filled his chest and Vigo cried out. "VIVIENNE, FORGIVE ME."
Quietly, the wind shifted direction and he heard her response clearly as if she had whispered it into his ear.
"No, Vigo. Not this time."
Vigo felt his knees buckle and the hands pulled away, letting him drop to the ground. Duncan knelt down next to him.
"Vigo. Get up."
But he couldn't. He just...couldn't. Vigo watched as his daughter walked off and disappeared through the tree line, heading back to the Den. He stayed there, on his knees until he felt a large hand reach down and pull on his arm, forcing him up. Vigo turned and looked into the face of his son.
"Vivienne, no. Please," he begged as she stumbled away from him. "VIVIENNE!"
"Jesus, Vigo. Just let her go," Duncan said through gritted teeth.
The hysteria rose up in him, reminding him of that feeling that nearly suffocated him when he came home that day and found his Emma on the floor, dead. Vigo had stood there for at least five minutes, staring at her lifeless body. Her scent was still in the air, but it was tainted. Wrong. He called out to her quietly. 'Emma, baby?' over and over again until he fell to his knees next to her. Finally he touched her.
She was so cold.
The terror of that loss and inevitably tortured pain filled his chest and Vigo cried out. "VIVIENNE, FORGIVE ME."
Quietly, the wind shifted direction and he heard her response clearly as if she had whispered it into his ear.
"No, Vigo. Not this time."
Vigo felt his knees buckle and the hands pulled away, letting him drop to the ground. Duncan knelt down next to him.
"Vigo. Get up."
But he couldn't. He just...couldn't. Vigo watched as his daughter walked off and disappeared through the tree line, heading back to the Den. He stayed there, on his knees until he felt a large hand reach down and pull on his arm, forcing him up. Vigo turned and looked into the face of his son.
Iov Hammerthynn
13 years ago
Leaning in close, Hammer whispered to his father. "Just let her go, father."
"I can't," Vigo said in a small voice. "She's my daughter."
"I'm not talking about Vivienne."
Hammer watched as his words penetrated his father's thick skull, hopefully forcing Vigo to realize that it was never about Vivienne. Vigo had never dealt with the loss of his wife and only set aside that detrimental loss and used a little ten year old Vyusher R'asa as a replacement for that unconditional, female love. Hammer understood now what his father went through when his mother died.
As a boy he knew his parents were deeply in love and it was different than the other Hammerthynns. None of his uncles treated their wives the way Vigo treated his mother. Their marriage, although arranged, was held together by a love few rarely ever experienced. When his mother died, Vigo might as well have died with her. Hammer dealt with the loss of his mother and moved on, as all Hammerthynns would and could. But Vigo just couldn't.
So Hammer watched as his father fell apart, mourning the loss of his mother all over again.
"I can't," Vigo said in a small voice. "She's my daughter."
"I'm not talking about Vivienne."
Hammer watched as his words penetrated his father's thick skull, hopefully forcing Vigo to realize that it was never about Vivienne. Vigo had never dealt with the loss of his wife and only set aside that detrimental loss and used a little ten year old Vyusher R'asa as a replacement for that unconditional, female love. Hammer understood now what his father went through when his mother died.
As a boy he knew his parents were deeply in love and it was different than the other Hammerthynns. None of his uncles treated their wives the way Vigo treated his mother. Their marriage, although arranged, was held together by a love few rarely ever experienced. When his mother died, Vigo might as well have died with her. Hammer dealt with the loss of his mother and moved on, as all Hammerthynns would and could. But Vigo just couldn't.
So Hammer watched as his father fell apart, mourning the loss of his mother all over again.
Lothias LT Jameson
13 years ago
LT and the other Pipers did not know what to do. It had been a tumultuous six months, what with the Commander and Beta fighting, Vivienne appearing in Nachton and her subsequent reveal of her true nature and then her pregnancy, Charlie's near death, and bizarre alliance with the silu Huntington. All this was stressful enough, but now to have their Elder reduced to blind rage over a Vyusher R'asa female. LT's head was spinning like a top and the budding Commander in him felt the audible crack in the foundation of Vigo Hammerthynn's leadership.
With a nod of his head, he dismissed the other Pipers, leaving him there with his grandfather, Vigo, the Beta, and his uncle. The latter stood with his hands clenched into fists, glaring at the Elder Hammerthynn as he knelt on the dirt.
"I'll go check on Vivienne," LT said to no one in particular. He had seen the damage on her face and her cheekbone was definitely broken by Vigo's fierce backhand. LT had heard the crack from some distance off and knew that she'd need it looked at before it healed poorly.
"Sirs," he said respectfully and turned away.
Running toward the Den, he found Vivienne walking slowly through the kitchen, blood running down her face and onto the gray zippered hoodie she had thrown on over the black tank he saw her in earlier. Other pack members down for breakfast were watching her silently.
Walking up behind her, he gently took her arm and guided her toward one of the medical facilities in the Den. If she noticed him, he could not tell.
"Viv?" LT pulled her into the clinic and immediately a medical tech took a look at her face. She neither flinched nor reacted to the tech touching her break.
"Viv?" he said again. "Can you hear me?"
"Yes I can hear you, LT."
"Are you all right? The baby?"
The tech sat Vivienne down on a gurney and looked at LT. "We'll get her the once over. What happened?"
"My father hit me," she answered, staring at the ground. "The baby is fine. I have a tripod fracture. The maxillary sinus, specifically the floor of the orbit. The arch and the lateral orbital wall."
"Your cheekbone is damn near shattered," the tech said. "What the hell did he hit her with? A brick?"
"My lip's already closing though." Viv looked at LT as the tech turned away to find a doctor. "This isn't nearly as bad as getting my windpipe crushed, Lothias."
LT shook his head at the tech, dismissing his questions. "Viv, you're in shock."
She shrugged. "Yeah, probably."
LT stared at her as she talked around her swollen lips. Bruises were already forming, covering the entire side of her face. With a deep sigh, he stood next to Viv, refusing to leave her side.
With a nod of his head, he dismissed the other Pipers, leaving him there with his grandfather, Vigo, the Beta, and his uncle. The latter stood with his hands clenched into fists, glaring at the Elder Hammerthynn as he knelt on the dirt.
"I'll go check on Vivienne," LT said to no one in particular. He had seen the damage on her face and her cheekbone was definitely broken by Vigo's fierce backhand. LT had heard the crack from some distance off and knew that she'd need it looked at before it healed poorly.
"Sirs," he said respectfully and turned away.
Running toward the Den, he found Vivienne walking slowly through the kitchen, blood running down her face and onto the gray zippered hoodie she had thrown on over the black tank he saw her in earlier. Other pack members down for breakfast were watching her silently.
Walking up behind her, he gently took her arm and guided her toward one of the medical facilities in the Den. If she noticed him, he could not tell.
"Viv?" LT pulled her into the clinic and immediately a medical tech took a look at her face. She neither flinched nor reacted to the tech touching her break.
"Viv?" he said again. "Can you hear me?"
"Yes I can hear you, LT."
"Are you all right? The baby?"
The tech sat Vivienne down on a gurney and looked at LT. "We'll get her the once over. What happened?"
"My father hit me," she answered, staring at the ground. "The baby is fine. I have a tripod fracture. The maxillary sinus, specifically the floor of the orbit. The arch and the lateral orbital wall."
"Your cheekbone is damn near shattered," the tech said. "What the hell did he hit her with? A brick?"
"My lip's already closing though." Viv looked at LT as the tech turned away to find a doctor. "This isn't nearly as bad as getting my windpipe crushed, Lothias."
LT shook his head at the tech, dismissing his questions. "Viv, you're in shock."
She shrugged. "Yeah, probably."
LT stared at her as she talked around her swollen lips. Bruises were already forming, covering the entire side of her face. With a deep sigh, he stood next to Viv, refusing to leave her side.
Reese E Deardon
13 years ago
"Red. Red, get up."
Red shot up in his bed, almost hitting Lewis in the face with his forehead. "Huh, what?"
"Get up! You need to come down to the clinic."
Pulling the covers off him, Red mechanically moved. Getting off the bed, he grabbed a pair of jeans lying at the foot of the covers and pulled them on. "Yeah, yeah, I'm up."
Rubbing his hands through his hair, he put on his shoes and moved with Lewis through his apartment. Slowly he woke up, even though his body was moving on automatic. Lewis was talking, saying something about a fight out on the Long Run and someone in the clinic needing surgery.
As they exited his apartment, they took the long corridor to the medical wing of the Den, double timing it when something occurred to him.
"Lewis, wait. Who needs surgery?"
Lewis turned a corner and stood in front of the entrance. "She's in here."
"She? She who?"
Red walked quickly into the clinic and pushed into one of the doors of a private room. The LT was standing next to examine room table with his arms crossed. Red held his hands up, shrugging. The LT nodded down at the body on the table.
"Jesus, what happened to Vivienne's face?"
The clinic tech was peeling the bloody skin back over her left cheekbone, exposing broken bits of her orbital wall. The bottom arch of her eye socket had been shattered, making her now bloodshot left eye droop. From her left temple, down over the eye, passed her lips, and to her chin was a fresh bruise, purple and red. The tech looked up at Red nervously, holding a scalpel.
"Move. MOVE NOW," Red yelled at the tech, backing him up. "Fuck me." Pulling back at the skin, he checked the breaks, counting the fractures. Without looking up at LT, he began asking questions as his fingers moved from the equipment table next to him, back to Vivienne's face.
"Who hit her?" Neither Lewis or LT spoke up. "If you make me look up, I won't be able to fix this without messing up her pretty face, guys. Who the fuck hit her so hard?"
"Elder Hammerthynn."
Red's hands paused for a second, and then he continued reassembling Viv's cheekbone, racing against her regenerative abilities. "Did you check the baby?"
The tech answered, "Everything is five by five. They said she just took the hit to the face and then dropped to the ground. Maybe a concussion, but she walked in here on her own two feet."
Red remained quiet as he worked on her face, only speaking to the tech when he needed something. There had only been one problem reconstructing her cheekbone - the Elder had managed to completely decimate a piece of bone where his knuckle must've connected, leaving Red no choice but to build around it, leaving the smallest dimple. It would be the only scar she'd have from the incident, but it wasn't anything they couldn't fix later. It was right on the highest point of her cheekbone, below her eye. An hour later, Red stepped back.
He had forgotten to put gloves on in his haste, but it wasn't as if it mattered. There was nothing Vivienne could transmit to him that his own regenerative abilities could not handle. Moving toward a sink in the room, he soaped up his hands and washed her blood off him.
"Let her sleep it off," he told the tech and exited the room with the LT. Lewis had left to find the Commander and when they stepped out of the room, Brig immediately stepped up to Red.
"She's fine. I had to reconstruct the breaks."
The Commander exhaled. His face was red and drained as he fell back against the wall.
"There's going to be a small dimple on her cheek for now. She can get surgery to fill it back up, I just didn't have anything in there-"
"I don't care about scars, Red." The Commander mumbled under his breath.
Red looked at the LT and motioned him away from the Commander, down the hall. Whispering he asked, "Why?"
LT rubbed his face. "He asked her to choose. She did."
"What the fuck did he hit her with? A bat?"
LT lifted his left hand and showed him the back of it.
"Jesus Christ." Red had no doubt that Vigo could have caved in the side of her face with his hand, considering he just about did it. LT quietly explained they were all out on the Run when they saw the two of them arguing. Finally the Elder hit her, lashing out, calling her a whore.
"He said he wished he had killed her when he had the chance."
Red paled, flicking a look at the Commander. "What happens now?"
LT shrugged, shaking his head and they both looked back at the Commander who pushed into the room to be with his pregnant mate.
Red shot up in his bed, almost hitting Lewis in the face with his forehead. "Huh, what?"
"Get up! You need to come down to the clinic."
Pulling the covers off him, Red mechanically moved. Getting off the bed, he grabbed a pair of jeans lying at the foot of the covers and pulled them on. "Yeah, yeah, I'm up."
Rubbing his hands through his hair, he put on his shoes and moved with Lewis through his apartment. Slowly he woke up, even though his body was moving on automatic. Lewis was talking, saying something about a fight out on the Long Run and someone in the clinic needing surgery.
As they exited his apartment, they took the long corridor to the medical wing of the Den, double timing it when something occurred to him.
"Lewis, wait. Who needs surgery?"
Lewis turned a corner and stood in front of the entrance. "She's in here."
"She? She who?"
Red walked quickly into the clinic and pushed into one of the doors of a private room. The LT was standing next to examine room table with his arms crossed. Red held his hands up, shrugging. The LT nodded down at the body on the table.
"Jesus, what happened to Vivienne's face?"
The clinic tech was peeling the bloody skin back over her left cheekbone, exposing broken bits of her orbital wall. The bottom arch of her eye socket had been shattered, making her now bloodshot left eye droop. From her left temple, down over the eye, passed her lips, and to her chin was a fresh bruise, purple and red. The tech looked up at Red nervously, holding a scalpel.
"Move. MOVE NOW," Red yelled at the tech, backing him up. "Fuck me." Pulling back at the skin, he checked the breaks, counting the fractures. Without looking up at LT, he began asking questions as his fingers moved from the equipment table next to him, back to Vivienne's face.
"Who hit her?" Neither Lewis or LT spoke up. "If you make me look up, I won't be able to fix this without messing up her pretty face, guys. Who the fuck hit her so hard?"
"Elder Hammerthynn."
Red's hands paused for a second, and then he continued reassembling Viv's cheekbone, racing against her regenerative abilities. "Did you check the baby?"
The tech answered, "Everything is five by five. They said she just took the hit to the face and then dropped to the ground. Maybe a concussion, but she walked in here on her own two feet."
Red remained quiet as he worked on her face, only speaking to the tech when he needed something. There had only been one problem reconstructing her cheekbone - the Elder had managed to completely decimate a piece of bone where his knuckle must've connected, leaving Red no choice but to build around it, leaving the smallest dimple. It would be the only scar she'd have from the incident, but it wasn't anything they couldn't fix later. It was right on the highest point of her cheekbone, below her eye. An hour later, Red stepped back.
He had forgotten to put gloves on in his haste, but it wasn't as if it mattered. There was nothing Vivienne could transmit to him that his own regenerative abilities could not handle. Moving toward a sink in the room, he soaped up his hands and washed her blood off him.
"Let her sleep it off," he told the tech and exited the room with the LT. Lewis had left to find the Commander and when they stepped out of the room, Brig immediately stepped up to Red.
"She's fine. I had to reconstruct the breaks."
The Commander exhaled. His face was red and drained as he fell back against the wall.
"There's going to be a small dimple on her cheek for now. She can get surgery to fill it back up, I just didn't have anything in there-"
"I don't care about scars, Red." The Commander mumbled under his breath.
Red looked at the LT and motioned him away from the Commander, down the hall. Whispering he asked, "Why?"
LT rubbed his face. "He asked her to choose. She did."
"What the fuck did he hit her with? A bat?"
LT lifted his left hand and showed him the back of it.
"Jesus Christ." Red had no doubt that Vigo could have caved in the side of her face with his hand, considering he just about did it. LT quietly explained they were all out on the Run when they saw the two of them arguing. Finally the Elder hit her, lashing out, calling her a whore.
"He said he wished he had killed her when he had the chance."
Red paled, flicking a look at the Commander. "What happens now?"
LT shrugged, shaking his head and they both looked back at the Commander who pushed into the room to be with his pregnant mate.
Brig Jameson
13 years ago
Brig stood watching his pregnant mate walk away. The Pipers followed and then finally his nephew was good enough to check on Viv. He wanted to do it himself, but there was something he had to say.
He looked at his uncle, ignoring the looks from Hammer and his father. Vigo's face was pale with some sort of distraught confusion he had never seen on a Hammerthynn's face. The realization of what Vigo had done was sinking in with the old man, but Brig made sure he'd never forget.
"You didn't have to force her to choose."
His father stepped forward, but Brig held up his hand, silencing him.
"You of all people should know what we have together. You were lucky enough to have it once."
Vigo flicked his pale gray eye at Brig, his confusion smoothed out to the defaulted indifferent expression.
"I love her, Vigo. And I'm lucky enough to have her love me. And despite you humiliating her in front of us, I know she still loves you...even though you don't fucking deserve it." Sighing, he stepped closer to his uncle and looked him in the face.
"If you ever did."
Shaking his head, he turned away from them and walked back to the Den, looking for his mate.
Lewis found him up in Viv's apartment and brought him down to the clinic. They wouldn't let him into the room while they worked on her face, but Lewis stood outside in the hallway with him, quiet in his comfort for him.
"Red is working on her," Lewis said quietly.
Brig nodded, not really hearing what Lewis was saying. He could smell Viv's scent as it lingered in the hallway, and as always, it warmed him, taking the edge off the volatile moment. It made him wonder just what Vigo must have gone through losing Emma. Despite what the old man had done that day, Brig's heart went out to him now that he understood why Vigo was the way he had become. The families had mourned the loss of Emma Jameson Hammerthynn, but not quite like Vigo. At seventeen Brig wasn't that much younger than his aunt and she had been in her prime and as beautiful as ever when she died. She adored Vigo and Hammer, and the short time she had them, Brig knew she must've loved them a lifetime's worth.
Would he be as tortured and removed from life as Vigo was if Vivienne died first? He couldn't imagine her scent reminding him how fortunate he was to have someone love him. To not see her face or feel her skin against his. It would kill him, Brig knew that, and god forbid if she went first, he would not be far behind her. If Viv outlived him, and god willing she would, he'd want her to not to suffer. She was fifty years younger than him and had potentially that long to live without him. He'd want her to be happy, but it wasn't like he wouldn't be waiting for her.
Red stepped out of the room and reassured him that she would be fine. He brushed off the notion of any scars being important and rushed into the room to see her. The tech cleaned up the bloody tools and left the room.
The left side of her face had swelled with ugly purple bruises. Her cheek had two butterfly bandages tight across the wound and where they cut the skin back. There would be no point in stitches; she'd be healed by morning and her bruises would already start to fade to the sickly yellow. Still, the wound looked raw and painful. The corner of her lips had healed splits that were already closing. Reaching out, he gently touched her hair, moving it out of her face.
"Sir?"
Brig turned toward the door. He hadn't heard it open.
"The baby is fine. She'll wake up in a little bit and she can go." The tech paused for a moment and looked at Vivienne on the table. "Just keep her off her feet for a couple hours."
Nodding, Brig turned back and looked at Viv, gently laying his hand on her pregnant belly. He felt a sob rise up and choke him. Looking down at her, the tears that had been threatening him finally spilled.
He looked at his uncle, ignoring the looks from Hammer and his father. Vigo's face was pale with some sort of distraught confusion he had never seen on a Hammerthynn's face. The realization of what Vigo had done was sinking in with the old man, but Brig made sure he'd never forget.
"You didn't have to force her to choose."
His father stepped forward, but Brig held up his hand, silencing him.
"You of all people should know what we have together. You were lucky enough to have it once."
Vigo flicked his pale gray eye at Brig, his confusion smoothed out to the defaulted indifferent expression.
"I love her, Vigo. And I'm lucky enough to have her love me. And despite you humiliating her in front of us, I know she still loves you...even though you don't fucking deserve it." Sighing, he stepped closer to his uncle and looked him in the face.
"If you ever did."
Shaking his head, he turned away from them and walked back to the Den, looking for his mate.
Lewis found him up in Viv's apartment and brought him down to the clinic. They wouldn't let him into the room while they worked on her face, but Lewis stood outside in the hallway with him, quiet in his comfort for him.
"Red is working on her," Lewis said quietly.
Brig nodded, not really hearing what Lewis was saying. He could smell Viv's scent as it lingered in the hallway, and as always, it warmed him, taking the edge off the volatile moment. It made him wonder just what Vigo must have gone through losing Emma. Despite what the old man had done that day, Brig's heart went out to him now that he understood why Vigo was the way he had become. The families had mourned the loss of Emma Jameson Hammerthynn, but not quite like Vigo. At seventeen Brig wasn't that much younger than his aunt and she had been in her prime and as beautiful as ever when she died. She adored Vigo and Hammer, and the short time she had them, Brig knew she must've loved them a lifetime's worth.
Would he be as tortured and removed from life as Vigo was if Vivienne died first? He couldn't imagine her scent reminding him how fortunate he was to have someone love him. To not see her face or feel her skin against his. It would kill him, Brig knew that, and god forbid if she went first, he would not be far behind her. If Viv outlived him, and god willing she would, he'd want her to not to suffer. She was fifty years younger than him and had potentially that long to live without him. He'd want her to be happy, but it wasn't like he wouldn't be waiting for her.
Red stepped out of the room and reassured him that she would be fine. He brushed off the notion of any scars being important and rushed into the room to see her. The tech cleaned up the bloody tools and left the room.
The left side of her face had swelled with ugly purple bruises. Her cheek had two butterfly bandages tight across the wound and where they cut the skin back. There would be no point in stitches; she'd be healed by morning and her bruises would already start to fade to the sickly yellow. Still, the wound looked raw and painful. The corner of her lips had healed splits that were already closing. Reaching out, he gently touched her hair, moving it out of her face.
"Sir?"
Brig turned toward the door. He hadn't heard it open.
"The baby is fine. She'll wake up in a little bit and she can go." The tech paused for a moment and looked at Vivienne on the table. "Just keep her off her feet for a couple hours."
Nodding, Brig turned back and looked at Viv, gently laying his hand on her pregnant belly. He felt a sob rise up and choke him. Looking down at her, the tears that had been threatening him finally spilled.
Vivienne Sena
13 years ago
Inhaling deeply Viv could immediately smell Brig near her. It covered her senses like a warm blanket, wrapping her instant arousal and comfort. It helped her forget, that was until she tried to open her eyes.
The pain radiated down the side of her face practically stopping her heart. Clenching her fists, she took another deep breath and exhaled slowly, controlling the pain. Whatever they had given her, she was still extremely drowsy, so when she felt Brig's arms slid underneath her, she did not resist. Jostling her, she opened up her right eye and peered out, Brig's movement making her dizzier.
"Let me walk," she mumbled, trying not to rub her face against his chest.
"Nope," he said.
Reaching up with her arm, she put it on his chest as he gently carried her. They were headed back to her apartment. The sounds and smells told her that. Occasionally she'd hear Brig say something softly, whether it was to her or someone else, she had no clue. She didn't answer him either way.
"Put me down, Brig."
He replied in a negative tone, but what he said was lost.
Her face felt like fire. Vigo must've hit her harder than she realized, but then she didn't remember much of anything after walking away. Vaguely she remembered LT's scent, sex and vanilla she recalled with a halfhearted smile, and then nothing. Her father must've destroyed her cheekbone requiring some sort of surgery, otherwise she knew it would not be hurting as much as it did. No matter, Viv thought, the pain was manageable. She had felt far, far worse.
The softness of her bed pressed up against her and Brig slid his arms back out from underneath her. He was talking to her again, softly whispering to her, but she couldn't make out the words. She reached out and pulled on his shirt, making him crawl in bed with her. Soft laughter and his warm body pressed up against her made sleep that much easier to find again.
The pain radiated down the side of her face practically stopping her heart. Clenching her fists, she took another deep breath and exhaled slowly, controlling the pain. Whatever they had given her, she was still extremely drowsy, so when she felt Brig's arms slid underneath her, she did not resist. Jostling her, she opened up her right eye and peered out, Brig's movement making her dizzier.
"Let me walk," she mumbled, trying not to rub her face against his chest.
"Nope," he said.
Reaching up with her arm, she put it on his chest as he gently carried her. They were headed back to her apartment. The sounds and smells told her that. Occasionally she'd hear Brig say something softly, whether it was to her or someone else, she had no clue. She didn't answer him either way.
"Put me down, Brig."
He replied in a negative tone, but what he said was lost.
Her face felt like fire. Vigo must've hit her harder than she realized, but then she didn't remember much of anything after walking away. Vaguely she remembered LT's scent, sex and vanilla she recalled with a halfhearted smile, and then nothing. Her father must've destroyed her cheekbone requiring some sort of surgery, otherwise she knew it would not be hurting as much as it did. No matter, Viv thought, the pain was manageable. She had felt far, far worse.
The softness of her bed pressed up against her and Brig slid his arms back out from underneath her. He was talking to her again, softly whispering to her, but she couldn't make out the words. She reached out and pulled on his shirt, making him crawl in bed with her. Soft laughter and his warm body pressed up against her made sleep that much easier to find again.
Vigo Hammerthynn
13 years ago
Duncan and Hammer escorted Vigo to his room. Escorted was putting it lightly, actually. He had struck his daughter, and per the Alpha, another pack member in anger doing substantial damage not only to Vivienne but to his authority with the Pipers by doing it in front of them. Vigo had completely lost control in himself and his ability to lead.
The moment they entered his apartment, the vestiges of his authority disappeared. He had walked with restrained anger and pride in between the other Elder and the Beta, but once that door closed, his shoulders slumped and the black veil of depression returned. He hated Nachton and could not leave soon enough. But where would he go now?
"Vigo we really need to talk about what you just did." Duncan stood next to him, speaking softly and as a friend.
"I've said enough for one day, Duncan." For a lifetime, he thought to himself.
Hammer remained by the door, no doubt looking at him admonishingly. "This gets settled now, father. We need to do damage control before this gets out."
"Damage control," Vigo said, smiling. "It's beyond that now, Beta."
His son walked slowly up to him, his boots heavy on his hardwood floor. Hammer stood close and put his hand on Vigo's shoulder in an oddly comforting gesture. "I think it's about time you and I talked as father and son."
Vigo looked at his son and suddenly there he was, eleven years old, looking up at him with that silent need for comfort. Vigo reached out and touched Iov's face with both hands, cupping his cheeks.
"Your mother was so proud of you. We both were, are proud of you, son."
"Vigo?" Duncan said quietly behind him.
"Look at him, Duncan. A fine boy." Vigo smiled at his little boy, seeing his mother in his smile and softness of her hair.
"Dad?" Iov said, reaching up and touching his father's hands. "Dad I miss her, too. Every day. Dad?"
Vigo looked at his beautiful son and ached looking at his fresh missing eye. "She didn't want this for you, you know. She begged me not to do it to you." He ran his big thumb over his baby boy's fresh scar.
"I wanted to be just like you. It was an honor."
"I know, son, but I didn't want this life for you." Vigo felt the tears well up in his eye. "I'm so...sorry."
His son's face crumpled in confusion. "Dad?"
Vigo blinked and suddenly Iov was a man again, looking at him with his weathered, scarred face. A man, a leader, but more importantly, still his baby boy.
"Hammer? I miss her. So much."
Much to his surprise, and he was sure Hammer's, Vigo pulled his grown son into a fierce hug, unashamed for the first time.
The moment they entered his apartment, the vestiges of his authority disappeared. He had walked with restrained anger and pride in between the other Elder and the Beta, but once that door closed, his shoulders slumped and the black veil of depression returned. He hated Nachton and could not leave soon enough. But where would he go now?
"Vigo we really need to talk about what you just did." Duncan stood next to him, speaking softly and as a friend.
"I've said enough for one day, Duncan." For a lifetime, he thought to himself.
Hammer remained by the door, no doubt looking at him admonishingly. "This gets settled now, father. We need to do damage control before this gets out."
"Damage control," Vigo said, smiling. "It's beyond that now, Beta."
His son walked slowly up to him, his boots heavy on his hardwood floor. Hammer stood close and put his hand on Vigo's shoulder in an oddly comforting gesture. "I think it's about time you and I talked as father and son."
Vigo looked at his son and suddenly there he was, eleven years old, looking up at him with that silent need for comfort. Vigo reached out and touched Iov's face with both hands, cupping his cheeks.
"Your mother was so proud of you. We both were, are proud of you, son."
"Vigo?" Duncan said quietly behind him.
"Look at him, Duncan. A fine boy." Vigo smiled at his little boy, seeing his mother in his smile and softness of her hair.
"Dad?" Iov said, reaching up and touching his father's hands. "Dad I miss her, too. Every day. Dad?"
Vigo looked at his beautiful son and ached looking at his fresh missing eye. "She didn't want this for you, you know. She begged me not to do it to you." He ran his big thumb over his baby boy's fresh scar.
"I wanted to be just like you. It was an honor."
"I know, son, but I didn't want this life for you." Vigo felt the tears well up in his eye. "I'm so...sorry."
His son's face crumpled in confusion. "Dad?"
Vigo blinked and suddenly Iov was a man again, looking at him with his weathered, scarred face. A man, a leader, but more importantly, still his baby boy.
"Hammer? I miss her. So much."
Much to his surprise, and he was sure Hammer's, Vigo pulled his grown son into a fierce hug, unashamed for the first time.
Iov Hammerthynn
13 years ago
His father had not talked to him like this since before his mother had died. A full century had passed. It was odd for Hammer to think that his mother had been dead that long now. It must have felt like an eternity to his father.
Vigo seemed lost looking at him now. The man Hammer knew, who had struck the woman he had called daughter for decades out of an intense fury that Hammer had never seen from his father had been so out of character. It was so painfully detached from the man his father was before his mother had died. Vigo held his face, talking to him as if he was a boy again. This was the man Hammer remembered as a little boy. How Vigo would talk to him gently, raising him with his mother guidance was the example he emulated when Xeph, his own son, had been his charge. Losing an eye and feeling the hard edge of being a Hammerthynn had been an honor, because he was that much closer to being his father.
"Dad?"
Hammer had not called him that since Emma had died. It was either 'father' or 'sir', never anything as remotely affectionate. Vigo was speaking but Hammer just didn't understand. Was his father so far gone now? It didn't matter Hammer decided when his father pulled him into a hug, one he had not felt in over one hundred years. Not when Hammer stepped up with Brig to Command the Pipers or when Hammer ascended to Beta status over the Greater Pack. There were no proud moments between father and son, just indifferent acknowledgement of an expectation met. Vigo hugged him and Hammer looked to Duncan, confused.
Duncan closed his eyes, nodding to Hammer. His uncle gave him a small encouraging smile.
Hammer slowly embraced his father, resting his face onto Vigo's shoulder, remembering the father he was, not that cold man he had become.
Vigo seemed lost looking at him now. The man Hammer knew, who had struck the woman he had called daughter for decades out of an intense fury that Hammer had never seen from his father had been so out of character. It was so painfully detached from the man his father was before his mother had died. Vigo held his face, talking to him as if he was a boy again. This was the man Hammer remembered as a little boy. How Vigo would talk to him gently, raising him with his mother guidance was the example he emulated when Xeph, his own son, had been his charge. Losing an eye and feeling the hard edge of being a Hammerthynn had been an honor, because he was that much closer to being his father.
"Dad?"
Hammer had not called him that since Emma had died. It was either 'father' or 'sir', never anything as remotely affectionate. Vigo was speaking but Hammer just didn't understand. Was his father so far gone now? It didn't matter Hammer decided when his father pulled him into a hug, one he had not felt in over one hundred years. Not when Hammer stepped up with Brig to Command the Pipers or when Hammer ascended to Beta status over the Greater Pack. There were no proud moments between father and son, just indifferent acknowledgement of an expectation met. Vigo hugged him and Hammer looked to Duncan, confused.
Duncan closed his eyes, nodding to Hammer. His uncle gave him a small encouraging smile.
Hammer slowly embraced his father, resting his face onto Vigo's shoulder, remembering the father he was, not that cold man he had become.
Reese E Deardon
13 years ago
There was no point in going back to sleep. Red rubbed at his unshaven face as he walked up to Vivienne's apartment from the clinic, holding a tablet. Wide awake and now concerned instead of just curious, he took the short flight up to the second floor in three large steps. He had been down speaking to the technician about the incident, impressing upon the man to keep his thoughts and details of what had happened to himself. The LT had stood behind Red as he spoke to the tech, silently enforcing Red's directive.
The Pipers took it upon themselves to clean up the mess of any fallout from Elder Hammerthynn's outburst. Quietly he and LT visited anyone who had noticed and ensured that no information would leak out to the families. They didn't need more problems when they had plenty to deal with on their own turf.
LT left Red to gathering up the xrays that the tech had taken, leaving him to take the time to actually look at them. The xray film was odd, to say the least. With the xrays now transferred to the ipad, Red knocked softly on Viv's door, knowing the Commander was there.
The Commander opened the door and invited him in with a nod. "What's up?"
Red held up the tablet and looked toward Vivienne's bedroom door. It was opened.
"She's out." The Commander held his hand out and Red handed it to him. Silently Brig flipped through the film, his expression not changing till he reached the end. Then he doubled back and looked at them again. "When were these taken?"
"That's today. There's nothing on Viv before."
The Commander's face tightened up and he flicked a look in the direction of her bedroom.
"That's a lot of healed fractures for a psychologist," Red said, jumping to the point. "Or is it psychiatrist?"
"A psychologist has a PHD, a psychiatrist has an MD and deals more with medicine. That's a recent job. Vigo's been using her for years."
"Oh. What has she been doing for him?"
The Commander shrugged. "Odd jobs."
Red chuckled and rubbed his face. "Sir, I did odd jobs in primary school. Raking leaves, washing cars at the garage. But I've never had every bone in my face broken doing it. And that's just from the neck up." He held his hands up and looked at them. "I'm not judging, sir, but from what the LT said and from what we've all seen, there's no way she couldn't have avoided that hit."
"There's a lot about Vivienne I don't know, Red, but what I do know is that Vigo used her for things that us Pipers couldn't do and that required more than just her ability to observationally learn."
"She has the same type of healed fractures as you do, sir. I mean, Viv was bad ass before, but now I gotta wonder...just what did the Elder do with her and why would he turn on her like this? And Christ, why would she take it?"
"That's none of our business, Sergeant. I wouldn't even presume to guess."
Red took a deep breath and shrugged. He wasn't sure why he was looking into Viv's prior injuries or her exact affiliation with the Elder Hammerthynn. But if the Commander wasn't questioning it, why should he? A little voice in his head spoke up and whispered to him.
'Because the Commander was too close to Vivienne to ask, this could be a problem in the long run or an extreme advantage.'
"But we should be, sir. Just to level the playing field. You may not want to know, but I think it would behoove us to ask just what she is capable of. I'm not saying don't trust her, I'm just saying if she's trained as a Piper, why not use her as one?" Red paused as the Commander glared at him. "Sir."
"Make up your mind. You either want to know the exact dynamic of Vigo and Vivienne's relationship and how that might affect the Pipers or you want to use her abilities above and beyond what she's been asked to do by the Alpha."
"Uh...both?"
The Commander looked at him, his face void of expression. "Go check her wounds, Sergeant." Then he handed the tablet back to Red.
"Aye, sir."
Red turned immediately toward the bedroom and walked in, looking down at Vivienne on the bed. He almost wished he had been there to see what happened, but LT had been extremely detailed. Red knew before Charlie's accident, LT wouldn't have bothered explaining it, but now that Red was part of leadership (albeit temporarily) his need-to-know-only status had changed to knows-every-goddamn-thing.
She was still sleeping off the drugs they had given her, but looked comfortable if not extremely battered. Her regenerative abilities were already working on the purple bruises and swelling in her face. The cuts on her lips were completely closed, but the bruising on her cheekbone was still red. Sitting on the edge of the bed next to her, he leaned over and looked at her face. He began to mumble to himself.
"Petechiae bleeding on the surface below the left eye. Minor swelling still present." Red moved to look at her face dead on and compared it to the xrays on the tablet. "Slight differential in skull structure, but meh...that's healing fine. It's kinda what makes you pretty. Asymmetrical facial structures are gorgeous, if you ask me."
Reaching out, Red touched the surface just below the wound on her cheek when her eyes flew open and he suddenly found himself face first on the bed, eating sheets.
"VIV! Oh fuck, my hand, VIVIENNE!"
The Pipers took it upon themselves to clean up the mess of any fallout from Elder Hammerthynn's outburst. Quietly he and LT visited anyone who had noticed and ensured that no information would leak out to the families. They didn't need more problems when they had plenty to deal with on their own turf.
LT left Red to gathering up the xrays that the tech had taken, leaving him to take the time to actually look at them. The xray film was odd, to say the least. With the xrays now transferred to the ipad, Red knocked softly on Viv's door, knowing the Commander was there.
The Commander opened the door and invited him in with a nod. "What's up?"
Red held up the tablet and looked toward Vivienne's bedroom door. It was opened.
"She's out." The Commander held his hand out and Red handed it to him. Silently Brig flipped through the film, his expression not changing till he reached the end. Then he doubled back and looked at them again. "When were these taken?"
"That's today. There's nothing on Viv before."
The Commander's face tightened up and he flicked a look in the direction of her bedroom.
"That's a lot of healed fractures for a psychologist," Red said, jumping to the point. "Or is it psychiatrist?"
"A psychologist has a PHD, a psychiatrist has an MD and deals more with medicine. That's a recent job. Vigo's been using her for years."
"Oh. What has she been doing for him?"
The Commander shrugged. "Odd jobs."
Red chuckled and rubbed his face. "Sir, I did odd jobs in primary school. Raking leaves, washing cars at the garage. But I've never had every bone in my face broken doing it. And that's just from the neck up." He held his hands up and looked at them. "I'm not judging, sir, but from what the LT said and from what we've all seen, there's no way she couldn't have avoided that hit."
"There's a lot about Vivienne I don't know, Red, but what I do know is that Vigo used her for things that us Pipers couldn't do and that required more than just her ability to observationally learn."
"She has the same type of healed fractures as you do, sir. I mean, Viv was bad ass before, but now I gotta wonder...just what did the Elder do with her and why would he turn on her like this? And Christ, why would she take it?"
"That's none of our business, Sergeant. I wouldn't even presume to guess."
Red took a deep breath and shrugged. He wasn't sure why he was looking into Viv's prior injuries or her exact affiliation with the Elder Hammerthynn. But if the Commander wasn't questioning it, why should he? A little voice in his head spoke up and whispered to him.
'Because the Commander was too close to Vivienne to ask, this could be a problem in the long run or an extreme advantage.'
"But we should be, sir. Just to level the playing field. You may not want to know, but I think it would behoove us to ask just what she is capable of. I'm not saying don't trust her, I'm just saying if she's trained as a Piper, why not use her as one?" Red paused as the Commander glared at him. "Sir."
"Make up your mind. You either want to know the exact dynamic of Vigo and Vivienne's relationship and how that might affect the Pipers or you want to use her abilities above and beyond what she's been asked to do by the Alpha."
"Uh...both?"
The Commander looked at him, his face void of expression. "Go check her wounds, Sergeant." Then he handed the tablet back to Red.
"Aye, sir."
Red turned immediately toward the bedroom and walked in, looking down at Vivienne on the bed. He almost wished he had been there to see what happened, but LT had been extremely detailed. Red knew before Charlie's accident, LT wouldn't have bothered explaining it, but now that Red was part of leadership (albeit temporarily) his need-to-know-only status had changed to knows-every-goddamn-thing.
She was still sleeping off the drugs they had given her, but looked comfortable if not extremely battered. Her regenerative abilities were already working on the purple bruises and swelling in her face. The cuts on her lips were completely closed, but the bruising on her cheekbone was still red. Sitting on the edge of the bed next to her, he leaned over and looked at her face. He began to mumble to himself.
"Petechiae bleeding on the surface below the left eye. Minor swelling still present." Red moved to look at her face dead on and compared it to the xrays on the tablet. "Slight differential in skull structure, but meh...that's healing fine. It's kinda what makes you pretty. Asymmetrical facial structures are gorgeous, if you ask me."
Reaching out, Red touched the surface just below the wound on her cheek when her eyes flew open and he suddenly found himself face first on the bed, eating sheets.
"VIV! Oh fuck, my hand, VIVIENNE!"
Vivienne Sena
13 years ago
"There is a difference between what we get and what we deserve."
Viv stood on the edge of the circle listening to her father speak. They were in the training room after hours and normally she would be in bed, but for the past year her father had been teaching her to fight. She was an adult, he said. Done with her studies, pursuing graduate work, but he requested her return early, forcing her to drop her classes. It had been grueling physical training every single day for no other reason than 'she was old enough to learn' now. That was the first and last thing he had said to her as to why he called her back early almost a year ago, but she wouldn't understand it until today.
"Do you know what I mean by that?"
"It could mean a number of things, but people almost never get what they deserve - good or bad."
"That's common sense, Vivienne."
It was the truth, she thought, but dismissed it. They were working with katanas that night, much to her displeasure. She wasn't a swordswoman, not that she couldn't handle one, Viv just always preferred physical contact despite being a quarter of the size of her Hammerthynn father. He encouraged sword play, which meant he forced it on her. Viv would be good at it whether she liked it or not.
Her father walked up to her in the circle, his sword still sheathed. Holding it just below the hilt of the scabbard, he pointed at her with it. "Today you learn the difference."
"That sounds ominous," she said with a grin and was immediately rewarded with the tip of the scabbard across her cheek.
"That tongue, Vivienne, will get you into some serious trouble one day."
Viv took a deep breath and swallowed back her retort. College had made her mouthy. "Yes, sir."
Vigo took two steps back and let his rigid posture relax. Viv looked at him, his graying brown hair more gray than brown now, the weathered scars on his face and perpetual sneer on his mouth. He was six foot six and over three hundred pounds compared to her five foot five and one hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet. It never felt like a fair fight to her, but she learned Vigo's tricks even though he always seemed to come up with new ones.
"Come on, then," he said calling to her with his two fingers.
Viv held the grip of her katana with both hands and bent her knees, readying herself. Vigo stood ten feet away from her, almost slouching. God, he was going to kick her ass. Stepping out of her tense posture, she held her katana not in her favored right hand but left, letting his eye look confused at her choice. Surprise was the only thing she ever had on him, for as many tricks as he had, she had to come up with more.
When his eye flicked to her sword, she rushed forward with her feet, kicking him in the stomach and pushing him back. She had hoped it would knock him over, but the man was a redwood of a stoic fucking tree. There was not enough momentum in the small place to get that much speed on him. So for the next fifteen minutes, Viv did her best to come close to touching Vigo's scarred skin with the tip of her katana. These were not sparring katanas, which could still do enough damage to sting, but the real thing. Vigo never fucked around. He did manage to leave several bruises on her face and ribs with the scabbard of his sword, insulting her by not taking the protective sheath off. He knew it would piss her off which it did to no end.
"You can hit me anytime, Vivienne."
He twisted out of the way of the wide arc of her sword easily, even when she followed it with the hilt of her sword, just missing his chin. The move still surprised him, but he was infinitely faster than she was.
"Good. Little faster and you might have hit me then."
Viv twisted back and flipped the sword, releasing it in a tight swing at him, letting her anger get the better of her. Vigo was not excepting that. The tip of it caught him in a horizontal slice across the left side of his chest, forcing him to move quickly to prevent it from impaling him, but it caused him to almost trip, losing his balance. Viv came at him, but as always, he was ready even as he fell to the ground.
In one swift move the scabbard came off the blade and Vigo landed on his right knee, his pained grunt echoing off the walls of the training room. Tucking under he avoided Viv's right hand, and with nothing to stop her motion, she kept twisting as he brought the tip of the sword up and sliced her back open, the blade sinking in at least an inch.
The blade was whisper thin and sharp enough to cut the softest silk in a heartbeat. Viv felt nothing as it sliced her. She felt nothing after she fell to the ground, especially below her waist. Laying in a crumbled mess, Viv balled her fists up and let out a startled gasp. The smell of silver and her burning skin penetrated her nostrils. If she could feel anything, it would have been the sizzle of the silver that severed her spine.
Vigo stood and looked down at her. "Today is the day you learn the power of silver, dear. All Hammerthynns experience the silver test and you are no different. It teaches us to face the fear of silver. To control that fear, lest it control you."
Viv gritted her teeth. "What does that have to do with getting what we deserve?"
"We don't always get what we deserve, if we're lucky."
Viv looked up at her father. "I can't feel my legs."
Vigo shrugged as he towered over her, bleeding from the single wound Viv did manage to give him. "Shouldn't have thrown your weapon away. Hefty price just to hit me once." Vigo paused, kneeling down. "Don't you think?"
Viv pressed her forehead down on the floor of the training building and disconnected from the pain, or rather, the terror of not having any.
"VIV! Oh fuck, my hand, VIVIENNE!"
Viv was on her knees looking down at Red as he lay face down across the center of her bed.
"Viv! What are you doing?" Behind her Brig rushed into the room with a terrified look on his face. "LET RED GO!"
Viv looked back at Red and realized she had his right hand twisted back, threatening to cause a backward dislocation of his upper arm. Immediately she let go.
"FUCK ME!" Red yelled as he rolled over onto his back and cradled his arm. "What the hell, Viv?"
"I'm sorry, Red."
"You know, there are easier ways to get me in your bed, other than twisting my arm out of its socket. Just saying." Red tried to smile, but his eyes weren't communicating the same emotion, not by a long shot.
Slowly she got up off the bed. "Sorry," she said again meekly. Turning, she looked at the clock on the night stand. It said 3:05 pm.
"It's getting close to that time. Why'd you let me sleep so long?"
Brig blinked at her. "I...just thought you'd want to sleep it off." He pointed to his cheekbone, as if to remind her.
"Oh right," she said, reaching up and feeling the butterfly bandages. Without flinching she pulled on both bandages, peeling them off at the same time.
"God damn, Viv," Red said, sitting up off the bed.
"Gotta rip it off like...well like a band-aid." Balling the bandages up in her hand, she walked by Brig who took a step back, giving her plenty of room, and into the bathroom to clean up.
Viv stood on the edge of the circle listening to her father speak. They were in the training room after hours and normally she would be in bed, but for the past year her father had been teaching her to fight. She was an adult, he said. Done with her studies, pursuing graduate work, but he requested her return early, forcing her to drop her classes. It had been grueling physical training every single day for no other reason than 'she was old enough to learn' now. That was the first and last thing he had said to her as to why he called her back early almost a year ago, but she wouldn't understand it until today.
"Do you know what I mean by that?"
"It could mean a number of things, but people almost never get what they deserve - good or bad."
"That's common sense, Vivienne."
It was the truth, she thought, but dismissed it. They were working with katanas that night, much to her displeasure. She wasn't a swordswoman, not that she couldn't handle one, Viv just always preferred physical contact despite being a quarter of the size of her Hammerthynn father. He encouraged sword play, which meant he forced it on her. Viv would be good at it whether she liked it or not.
Her father walked up to her in the circle, his sword still sheathed. Holding it just below the hilt of the scabbard, he pointed at her with it. "Today you learn the difference."
"That sounds ominous," she said with a grin and was immediately rewarded with the tip of the scabbard across her cheek.
"That tongue, Vivienne, will get you into some serious trouble one day."
Viv took a deep breath and swallowed back her retort. College had made her mouthy. "Yes, sir."
Vigo took two steps back and let his rigid posture relax. Viv looked at him, his graying brown hair more gray than brown now, the weathered scars on his face and perpetual sneer on his mouth. He was six foot six and over three hundred pounds compared to her five foot five and one hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet. It never felt like a fair fight to her, but she learned Vigo's tricks even though he always seemed to come up with new ones.
"Come on, then," he said calling to her with his two fingers.
Viv held the grip of her katana with both hands and bent her knees, readying herself. Vigo stood ten feet away from her, almost slouching. God, he was going to kick her ass. Stepping out of her tense posture, she held her katana not in her favored right hand but left, letting his eye look confused at her choice. Surprise was the only thing she ever had on him, for as many tricks as he had, she had to come up with more.
When his eye flicked to her sword, she rushed forward with her feet, kicking him in the stomach and pushing him back. She had hoped it would knock him over, but the man was a redwood of a stoic fucking tree. There was not enough momentum in the small place to get that much speed on him. So for the next fifteen minutes, Viv did her best to come close to touching Vigo's scarred skin with the tip of her katana. These were not sparring katanas, which could still do enough damage to sting, but the real thing. Vigo never fucked around. He did manage to leave several bruises on her face and ribs with the scabbard of his sword, insulting her by not taking the protective sheath off. He knew it would piss her off which it did to no end.
"You can hit me anytime, Vivienne."
He twisted out of the way of the wide arc of her sword easily, even when she followed it with the hilt of her sword, just missing his chin. The move still surprised him, but he was infinitely faster than she was.
"Good. Little faster and you might have hit me then."
Viv twisted back and flipped the sword, releasing it in a tight swing at him, letting her anger get the better of her. Vigo was not excepting that. The tip of it caught him in a horizontal slice across the left side of his chest, forcing him to move quickly to prevent it from impaling him, but it caused him to almost trip, losing his balance. Viv came at him, but as always, he was ready even as he fell to the ground.
In one swift move the scabbard came off the blade and Vigo landed on his right knee, his pained grunt echoing off the walls of the training room. Tucking under he avoided Viv's right hand, and with nothing to stop her motion, she kept twisting as he brought the tip of the sword up and sliced her back open, the blade sinking in at least an inch.
The blade was whisper thin and sharp enough to cut the softest silk in a heartbeat. Viv felt nothing as it sliced her. She felt nothing after she fell to the ground, especially below her waist. Laying in a crumbled mess, Viv balled her fists up and let out a startled gasp. The smell of silver and her burning skin penetrated her nostrils. If she could feel anything, it would have been the sizzle of the silver that severed her spine.
Vigo stood and looked down at her. "Today is the day you learn the power of silver, dear. All Hammerthynns experience the silver test and you are no different. It teaches us to face the fear of silver. To control that fear, lest it control you."
Viv gritted her teeth. "What does that have to do with getting what we deserve?"
"We don't always get what we deserve, if we're lucky."
Viv looked up at her father. "I can't feel my legs."
Vigo shrugged as he towered over her, bleeding from the single wound Viv did manage to give him. "Shouldn't have thrown your weapon away. Hefty price just to hit me once." Vigo paused, kneeling down. "Don't you think?"
Viv pressed her forehead down on the floor of the training building and disconnected from the pain, or rather, the terror of not having any.
"VIV! Oh fuck, my hand, VIVIENNE!"
Viv was on her knees looking down at Red as he lay face down across the center of her bed.
"Viv! What are you doing?" Behind her Brig rushed into the room with a terrified look on his face. "LET RED GO!"
Viv looked back at Red and realized she had his right hand twisted back, threatening to cause a backward dislocation of his upper arm. Immediately she let go.
"FUCK ME!" Red yelled as he rolled over onto his back and cradled his arm. "What the hell, Viv?"
"I'm sorry, Red."
"You know, there are easier ways to get me in your bed, other than twisting my arm out of its socket. Just saying." Red tried to smile, but his eyes weren't communicating the same emotion, not by a long shot.
Slowly she got up off the bed. "Sorry," she said again meekly. Turning, she looked at the clock on the night stand. It said 3:05 pm.
"It's getting close to that time. Why'd you let me sleep so long?"
Brig blinked at her. "I...just thought you'd want to sleep it off." He pointed to his cheekbone, as if to remind her.
"Oh right," she said, reaching up and feeling the butterfly bandages. Without flinching she pulled on both bandages, peeling them off at the same time.
"God damn, Viv," Red said, sitting up off the bed.
"Gotta rip it off like...well like a band-aid." Balling the bandages up in her hand, she walked by Brig who took a step back, giving her plenty of room, and into the bathroom to clean up.
Brig Jameson
13 years ago
Brig watched as Viv nonchalantly moved past him and into the bathroom. The tangy smell of her blood permeated the air, fresh from the slightly reopened wound on her cheek. He was speechless as Red got up off the bed and stood next to him.
"What the fuck?" Red yelped quietly at him. His Sergeant rolled his right shoulder, trying to loosen up the pain and then pointed to his face. "She is freaking me out!"
"You've got two hours to sleep. Meet down in the Situation Room at five o'clock. Viv will contact Huntington and we'll figure out where to start."
"We're still doing that tonight? She got half her face caved in by her adoptive father. You don't think that maybe...just maybe...she's dealing with a few issues?"
Brig turned and looked at Red. "You tell her she's not going then."
Red gulped. "I'm going to bed," he said as he walked out of the bedroom.
Brig waited for the apartment door to close before he went to the bathroom. Knocking gently on the door, he opened it wide but stayed at the threshold. Viv was in the shower.
"Hey," he said softly.
Viv stepped up on her tip toes and peered over the shower stall glass. "Hi," she said in a strangely normal voice.
"Want something for the pain?"
Her head dipped back down and she continued to wash. "No, I'm good."
"I got something you can take, even with the baby."
The shower cut off and she opened the door. Twisting her long dark hair, she shook her head again. "No, I don't have any pain, I mean."
Brig stepped into the bathroom and grabbed a towel. Holding it open for her, she stepped into it with a smile. Her face was still badly bruised, the purple settling into the skin fully giving her a nasty black eye. Her actual eye was blood shot, but her lips were healed. There was no way she wasn't in pain. Then it occurred to him, Hammer did the same thing with his pain. He disconnected from it, tricking his mind into functioning beyond it. All the Pipers could do it to a degree, but the Hammerthynns learn that ability early on. Pain made you weak.
Brig realized he really didn't know this part of Vivienne...and it scared him a little.
"Ok," he said simply.
He knew there would be no point in stopping her from the tracking job tonight. Brig realized that about Vivienne pretty damn quick. It had not come up yet, but Brig knew she would resume her duties after the baby was born. The Alpha had grounded her from field work the second she found out she was pregnant and that was the only reason why she had complied. Brig had no illusions as to his ability to keep her safe, he knew he could, but he knew she could keep herself out of trouble better if he wasn't tripping over himself because he worried about her. Being a Commander's wife, on the other hand, he knew his father would object to Vivienne being anything but a mother, but Brig had faith in Viv - she could be a wife, mother, and Piper if she chose to. He would greatly discourage the latter, but again, he saw no point.
"I know what you're thinking," she said looking up at him.
"If you did, we'd be on that bed right now," he said easily.
Viv's blank expression did not change. "I'm freaking you out a little bit, huh?"
He shrugged. "A little. You're feisty for such a small little girl."
Viv finally grinned. "It's easier if I handle it this way."
"You mean ignore it?" Brig's tone was soft.
"I'd like to think I'm compartmentalizing everything."
"Yeah, you're ignoring it," he said with a sigh.
"Imagine being a woman in a Hammerthynn's world."
"I can't even imagine being a man in their world, much less as a woman."
Viv raised her eyebrows and moved past him into the bedroom. With the towel wrapped around her, she picked out a Therian-weave suit out of the drawer and threw it on the bed.
"I was dreaming about my silver test. When Vigo severed my spine."
Brig followed her into the bedroom and settled down onto the bed, resting back onto his elbows. "You've never told me about how it happened."
"He said, 'There is a difference between what we get and what we deserve.'"
"So slicing your back open with a silver tipped sword was what? You getting what you deserved?"
"No, I got my spine severed to see if I deserved to walk again."
Brig paused and sat forward. "That has to be the most fucked up thing I have ever heard."
"Yeah well, that was his charm."
He watched as Viv dropped her towel and picked up the bottoms of her suit. Her legs were still tight with muscles as was her arms. Her pregnant belly was starting to really fill out, resembling less like a basketball and more like a pregnant woman's physique. Her breasts were fuller, larger, and he stared as she dressed.
"Should I bother getting dressed?" she asked, getting his attention again.
"Probably not." Grinning, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. She straddled his lap with her belly pressing up against him. "I'm sorry about this morning."
"Why? I chose you."
"I'm sorry you had to choose."
"What the fuck?" Red yelped quietly at him. His Sergeant rolled his right shoulder, trying to loosen up the pain and then pointed to his face. "She is freaking me out!"
"You've got two hours to sleep. Meet down in the Situation Room at five o'clock. Viv will contact Huntington and we'll figure out where to start."
"We're still doing that tonight? She got half her face caved in by her adoptive father. You don't think that maybe...just maybe...she's dealing with a few issues?"
Brig turned and looked at Red. "You tell her she's not going then."
Red gulped. "I'm going to bed," he said as he walked out of the bedroom.
Brig waited for the apartment door to close before he went to the bathroom. Knocking gently on the door, he opened it wide but stayed at the threshold. Viv was in the shower.
"Hey," he said softly.
Viv stepped up on her tip toes and peered over the shower stall glass. "Hi," she said in a strangely normal voice.
"Want something for the pain?"
Her head dipped back down and she continued to wash. "No, I'm good."
"I got something you can take, even with the baby."
The shower cut off and she opened the door. Twisting her long dark hair, she shook her head again. "No, I don't have any pain, I mean."
Brig stepped into the bathroom and grabbed a towel. Holding it open for her, she stepped into it with a smile. Her face was still badly bruised, the purple settling into the skin fully giving her a nasty black eye. Her actual eye was blood shot, but her lips were healed. There was no way she wasn't in pain. Then it occurred to him, Hammer did the same thing with his pain. He disconnected from it, tricking his mind into functioning beyond it. All the Pipers could do it to a degree, but the Hammerthynns learn that ability early on. Pain made you weak.
Brig realized he really didn't know this part of Vivienne...and it scared him a little.
"Ok," he said simply.
He knew there would be no point in stopping her from the tracking job tonight. Brig realized that about Vivienne pretty damn quick. It had not come up yet, but Brig knew she would resume her duties after the baby was born. The Alpha had grounded her from field work the second she found out she was pregnant and that was the only reason why she had complied. Brig had no illusions as to his ability to keep her safe, he knew he could, but he knew she could keep herself out of trouble better if he wasn't tripping over himself because he worried about her. Being a Commander's wife, on the other hand, he knew his father would object to Vivienne being anything but a mother, but Brig had faith in Viv - she could be a wife, mother, and Piper if she chose to. He would greatly discourage the latter, but again, he saw no point.
"I know what you're thinking," she said looking up at him.
"If you did, we'd be on that bed right now," he said easily.
Viv's blank expression did not change. "I'm freaking you out a little bit, huh?"
He shrugged. "A little. You're feisty for such a small little girl."
Viv finally grinned. "It's easier if I handle it this way."
"You mean ignore it?" Brig's tone was soft.
"I'd like to think I'm compartmentalizing everything."
"Yeah, you're ignoring it," he said with a sigh.
"Imagine being a woman in a Hammerthynn's world."
"I can't even imagine being a man in their world, much less as a woman."
Viv raised her eyebrows and moved past him into the bedroom. With the towel wrapped around her, she picked out a Therian-weave suit out of the drawer and threw it on the bed.
"I was dreaming about my silver test. When Vigo severed my spine."
Brig followed her into the bedroom and settled down onto the bed, resting back onto his elbows. "You've never told me about how it happened."
"He said, 'There is a difference between what we get and what we deserve.'"
"So slicing your back open with a silver tipped sword was what? You getting what you deserved?"
"No, I got my spine severed to see if I deserved to walk again."
Brig paused and sat forward. "That has to be the most fucked up thing I have ever heard."
"Yeah well, that was his charm."
He watched as Viv dropped her towel and picked up the bottoms of her suit. Her legs were still tight with muscles as was her arms. Her pregnant belly was starting to really fill out, resembling less like a basketball and more like a pregnant woman's physique. Her breasts were fuller, larger, and he stared as she dressed.
"Should I bother getting dressed?" she asked, getting his attention again.
"Probably not." Grinning, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. She straddled his lap with her belly pressing up against him. "I'm sorry about this morning."
"Why? I chose you."
"I'm sorry you had to choose."
Vivienne Sena
13 years ago
"So...we're not having sex?"
Brig's sweet and compassionate expression cracked as he chuckled. "Well, I would love to have sex right now-"
Viv cupped his face and kissed Brig rather vigorously, that was until he pulled her hands down.
"You don't want to talk about what happened?"
Viv slid off Brig's lap and reached for her Therian-weave bottoms again. They were clearly not going to have sex. Taking a deep breath, she dressed slowly, considering his question. After a few moments, she shrugged.
"I'm not sure what you want me to say."
"There's nothing I want you to say. I know you chose me, but he is your father."
"You rather I chose him?"
"No, of course not."
"Then there's not much else to talk about, other than you thinking I'm not reacting to what happened in the correct way."
"Now wait a minute."
Pulling on her Therian-weave top, Viv smoothed out the material over her belly and turned away. Suddenly she was jerked back by Brig's large hand tugging on her hand.
"Brig, are you really expecting me to react to this like a normal woman would? To cry? Get upset? Curse? Because that's just not who I am. I'm not upset about my fa-about Vigo. He gave me a choice that he felt was necessary. I was either with him or without him. I am now without him. It's done."
She shrugged helplessly at Brig. He just sat on the bed looking at her, his expression confused. He was feeling responsible for what happened between her and Vigo, Viv could see that, but how could she reassure him when it was true?
"Are you with me now because he drew that line?"
"Do you really think that, Brig? I'd like to think you know me better than that by now."
Brig was quiet and he looked down at the ground, thinking deeply. "I know you love me, Viv. But is this the life you want?"
"This isn't the life I expected, but that doesn't mean it isn't what I want." Viv paused as she looked her mate who suddenly couldn't look at her. "This is what you want...right?"
Brig's sweet and compassionate expression cracked as he chuckled. "Well, I would love to have sex right now-"
Viv cupped his face and kissed Brig rather vigorously, that was until he pulled her hands down.
"You don't want to talk about what happened?"
Viv slid off Brig's lap and reached for her Therian-weave bottoms again. They were clearly not going to have sex. Taking a deep breath, she dressed slowly, considering his question. After a few moments, she shrugged.
"I'm not sure what you want me to say."
"There's nothing I want you to say. I know you chose me, but he is your father."
"You rather I chose him?"
"No, of course not."
"Then there's not much else to talk about, other than you thinking I'm not reacting to what happened in the correct way."
"Now wait a minute."
Pulling on her Therian-weave top, Viv smoothed out the material over her belly and turned away. Suddenly she was jerked back by Brig's large hand tugging on her hand.
"Brig, are you really expecting me to react to this like a normal woman would? To cry? Get upset? Curse? Because that's just not who I am. I'm not upset about my fa-about Vigo. He gave me a choice that he felt was necessary. I was either with him or without him. I am now without him. It's done."
She shrugged helplessly at Brig. He just sat on the bed looking at her, his expression confused. He was feeling responsible for what happened between her and Vigo, Viv could see that, but how could she reassure him when it was true?
"Are you with me now because he drew that line?"
"Do you really think that, Brig? I'd like to think you know me better than that by now."
Brig was quiet and he looked down at the ground, thinking deeply. "I know you love me, Viv. But is this the life you want?"
"This isn't the life I expected, but that doesn't mean it isn't what I want." Viv paused as she looked her mate who suddenly couldn't look at her. "This is what you want...right?"
Brig Jameson
13 years ago
Brig flinched and looked up at her. "Of course it is. You're everything I want."
"Then why is this a big deal?"
"Because he's your father, Viv! Despite being a son-of-a-bitch, he's still the man that raised you. You can't possibly be feeling nothing, not after what he did. Look at your face, for christ's sake."
"I don't remember you getting upset when Hammer stepped on my throat. Didn't try to talk it out with me then."
Brig chewed on his bottom lip and nodded. He bit back the words he wanted to yell at her. That he really didn't know anything about her, other than her god damn emotional detachment from things that hurt her. It screamed 'Hammerthynn' in every way. It was like being married to his cousin.
Standing, he put his hands up and offered a truce. "All right then. You deal with it or don't deal with it however you want. I was only trying to help, but...whatever."
Ok that wasn't the best truce, but he was irritated with her now and they still had the track job that evening. Then something struck him as odd. "Why are you wearing a suit?"
Viv took a deep breath.
"Are you fucking kidding me? You want to go out there with them?"
"No," she said sheepishly. "Not totally out there."
Brig rubbed his face and fought back the growing anger that threatened to top off his irritation with her. It was one thing to push back when he was trying to be sympathetic to her feelings, but now she was just pushing to push. The Alpha in him reared his ugly head and he pointed at her, talking in a low, very tempered voice but he was feeling everything but.
"I said you are staying in the Situation Room. Wear the suit there, but we're not discussing this."
Viv looked at him with pursed lips.
"Vivienne?" he said quietly.
"All right, all right."
Brig narrowed his eyes at her. Turning, he grabbed the bedroom door and slammed it shut. "Take off your suit."
"What, why?"
"Because now we're having sex. And I mean sex like you'll feel the ghosts of your ancestors sex. Hurry up and take it off."
Finally Viv smiled at him. "Yes, sir."
Wrapping an arm around her waist, Brig pulled her to him, tussling her hair. Quickly she pulled her top back off and threw it on the floor behind them as he pushed her down onto the bed. She lifted her hips as he pulled on her bottoms, sliding them down her legs. Climbing back up her body, he laid on top of her, careful to shift to the side to avoid her belly and kissed her deeply.
"Brig," she said pulling away from their kiss. "Thank you."
Cupping her face with his hand, he ran his thumb over her lips. "Thank me by not falling asleep afterwards? That would be great."
"Oh shut up," she laughed and kissed him again.
((OOC everyone out))
"Then why is this a big deal?"
"Because he's your father, Viv! Despite being a son-of-a-bitch, he's still the man that raised you. You can't possibly be feeling nothing, not after what he did. Look at your face, for christ's sake."
"I don't remember you getting upset when Hammer stepped on my throat. Didn't try to talk it out with me then."
Brig chewed on his bottom lip and nodded. He bit back the words he wanted to yell at her. That he really didn't know anything about her, other than her god damn emotional detachment from things that hurt her. It screamed 'Hammerthynn' in every way. It was like being married to his cousin.
Standing, he put his hands up and offered a truce. "All right then. You deal with it or don't deal with it however you want. I was only trying to help, but...whatever."
Ok that wasn't the best truce, but he was irritated with her now and they still had the track job that evening. Then something struck him as odd. "Why are you wearing a suit?"
Viv took a deep breath.
"Are you fucking kidding me? You want to go out there with them?"
"No," she said sheepishly. "Not totally out there."
Brig rubbed his face and fought back the growing anger that threatened to top off his irritation with her. It was one thing to push back when he was trying to be sympathetic to her feelings, but now she was just pushing to push. The Alpha in him reared his ugly head and he pointed at her, talking in a low, very tempered voice but he was feeling everything but.
"I said you are staying in the Situation Room. Wear the suit there, but we're not discussing this."
Viv looked at him with pursed lips.
"Vivienne?" he said quietly.
"All right, all right."
Brig narrowed his eyes at her. Turning, he grabbed the bedroom door and slammed it shut. "Take off your suit."
"What, why?"
"Because now we're having sex. And I mean sex like you'll feel the ghosts of your ancestors sex. Hurry up and take it off."
Finally Viv smiled at him. "Yes, sir."
Wrapping an arm around her waist, Brig pulled her to him, tussling her hair. Quickly she pulled her top back off and threw it on the floor behind them as he pushed her down onto the bed. She lifted her hips as he pulled on her bottoms, sliding them down her legs. Climbing back up her body, he laid on top of her, careful to shift to the side to avoid her belly and kissed her deeply.
"Brig," she said pulling away from their kiss. "Thank you."
Cupping her face with his hand, he ran his thumb over her lips. "Thank me by not falling asleep afterwards? That would be great."
"Oh shut up," she laughed and kissed him again.
((OOC everyone out))