The Odd Couple
folder
Fantasy & Science Fiction › Round Robins
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
19
Views:
6,534
Reviews:
10
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Fantasy & Science Fiction › Round Robins
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
19
Views:
6,534
Reviews:
10
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
See Full Disclaimer Inside (first part)
The Offer
Full Disclaimer: This is a round-robin type story, between Athena Genesis and myself, and is posted here with her permission. It contains characters that belong to her from The Golden Path and The Unraveling; as well as characters of mine from In Fair Verona and The Archangel in the Aviary. This is a work of fiction, in part inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Neither Athena Genesis nor I make any money from this story.
REVIEW REPLIES AND DISCUSSION HERE:
http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/index.php/topic/30974-the-odd-couple-review-replies-and-discussion/Full Summary:
Atl is a black alpha wolf, leader of the Reed Pack, and best friend to Tlaloc. After his return to the woods and helping to save the realm from the terrible grasp of Itzpapalotl, Atl and Tlaloc begin to realize that all is not well with the black wolf. Having survived the loss of his lifemate, Atl was holding on for his friend’s sake, and is slowly losing that will to go on once more. Tlaloc isn’t sure what can be done, but he knows he must do something—he can’t just let his oldest and most trusted friend die. High Prince Escalus finds himself in a similar bind when he finds Mercutio collapsed in the hallway—and learns this isn’t the first time recently that this has happened. As High Prince over all of Verona, it is supposed to be his job to ensure that the Seelie King does not put his throne in danger—as his friend, it is his duty to make sure Mercutio is all right. Normally, he would have stepped up and helped his friend, but now, he was bound to Tlaloc, and Mercutio refuses to put his friend in that kind of situation just to save himself. And so Lord Mercutio made a proposal to Atl. Be bound to me, and we’ll both survive. Only temporary, of course, until another solution can be found. Of course, certain details weren’t elaborated to the wolf—or to the Fae, for that matter—before hilarity, insanity, and chaos descended upon the pair. Enjoy The Odd Couple!
***************************************************************************
"It'll be in name only." Tlaloc insists, watching has his oldest and most dearest friend pace the length of the parlor.
"But a Life Mate Ceremony?" Atl asks, pausing in his worrying down of the woven rug to stare up into the twilight eyes of his ruler and friend. "Is that necessary?"
"It's to save his life." Citlalli chimes in.
Atl sighs, running a hand through his Mohawk and massaging the base of his neck. "I get his life is in jeopardy. Not entirely certain how that is any of my concern or my responsibility though."
Tlaloc sighs. "It isn't your responsibility, Atl. . . There just isn't anyone else."
"What do you mean?"
The panther shrugs.
"There isn't a Seelie in all of Verona that will help their king?"
Tlaloc shrugs again.
"Fucking faeries." Atl growls under his breath. "How is that possible? Doesn't he demand loyalty? He's their king! How can they . . . That would be like me letting you die." Atl begins pacing once more. His yellow eyes flare with anger. "That would be like Citlalli and Chimalma letting me die." He growls. Turning towards the twins, he holds them with a steady gaze. "Would you let me die?"
Citlalli shakes her head.
"If you were killed, I would track down the one responsible, rip out their throat and skin them alive." Chimalma vows, her face devoid of any emotion.
Atl nods, turning around he absently waves a hand back towards the two wolves. "That is what loyalty of kin and blood should be. Fucking fairies and their politics."
Tlaloc watches Atl quietly, letting the black wolf fume and growl under his breath. After several minutes have passed, the Lord of the Wood gently interrupts his longtime friend. "You'll help then?"
Pausing in mid-growl, Atl looks over at the panther. "Why a Life Mate Ceremony?" He asks once more.
"It won't a true Life Mate Ceremony." Tlaloc explains. "More like a bonding ritual, similar to what was done between Escalus and I when I was dying. It'll be in name only. Anything formal would cause to much political upheaval for both you and Mercutio."
"No pack would ever acknowledged Mercutio as your life mate." Chimalma adds.
Atl nods, absently scratching at the black spiral marking running down the side of his neck, one of many marks that indicate his prestige as an Alpha. Quietly, he mulls over what his oldest and dearest friend is asking of him. He lets out a sigh. "And he knows that I prefer the fairer sex, right?"
Tlaloc nods.
"Mercutio is pretty fair." Citlalli pipes in.
"And he is definitely more of a girl than either of us." Chimalma says to her sister.
Atl stares daggers at the two wolves, not amused. Ignoring the two, he turns his attention back to Tlaloc. "If it is only in name only, then why me?"
"Because Mercutio thinks you're cute." Citlalli blurts out.
Chimalma elbows the white wolf, shaking her head.
Atl's eyes narrow into glowing slits of yellow. He turns his gaze from his pack mates and looks over at the Lord of the Wood. "Well?"
"Does it matter why?" Tlaloc asks, dodging the question.
"Yes. I won't do it unless I know why I should."
"I could order you." Tlaloc says, but the threat is harmless. In their several hundred year long friendship, Tlaloc has rarely ordered the wolf to do anything and this moment will be no different. If Atl refuses to help, then Tlaloc will not force him to against his will. He will not risk damaging his friendship any further than it already has been. Mercutio will have to find another way.
Atl rolls his eyes, knowing the threat to be benign. "Tell me, Tlaloc, why I should do this?"
Tlaloc sighs. "You're not going to like it."
"Oh, on that I can guarantee."
The panther gives the black wolf a look as though saying, I warned you. "Because, it is time you moved on."
"What? Moved on from what?"
Tlaloc licks his lips. There are few things in their long friendship that they can not talk about. They have been there for each other during their greatest personal achievements and during the darkest moments. They haves saved each other's lives more times then either one can count. But, despite the white hot fires that their friendship was forged in, there is but one topic that can risk cracking their friendship in half.
Tlaloc sighs. He licks his lips once more and then nods. "From Ana." He murmurs gently.