The Society - Fortnite Shortstory

The Past

Valeria stood outside in the cold, she typically ran very warm and this weather wouldn't bother her at all but for some reason everything felt cold right now. She saw Nisha walk out of the hotel and went to go talk to her.

"I'm so sorry I haven't talked to you since..." Valeria started.

"Hey, it's fine, we've all been a little busy I understand." Nisha stopped her.

Val smiled and hugged Nisha, "I'm so glad to see you."

Nisha was surprised by this and stood with her arms open not sure whether to hug back. She blushed lightly and cleared her throat, "It's good to see you too."

"Nish I just feel..." Val paused, pulling out of the hug and thought for a moment.

"Alone. I understand." Nisha finished for her.

"Yeah, that sounds right." Val said.

"Hey, seriously though, are you ok? You know you can always talk to me, about anything." Nisha said looking Val in the eyes.

Val stared at her, wanting to tell her everything and how she felt, but instead shook her head, "I'm fine, mainly still a little shaken from last night."

"Yeah, word spreads fast, one of your guards reached out to me saying he was concerned." Nisha said, still disappointed because she knew Val was holding back.

They were suddenly interrupted by the sound of a car horn, "Hey, Val, are ya coming over?" Oscar was sitting in his black sports car with his window rolled down.

"Oh sorry yes, I'll be over soon." Val said with a smile to Oscar. Nisha looked at her with a raised brow. Val looked back at Nisha, "I don't feel safe going back to my home just yet and Oscar offered I could use my observatory at his place." Val said.

Nisha sighed, "You know you're always welcome with me too." She reassured Val.

Val nodded her head. "Well I should really be going she said walking to her car. As she was getting in she stopped, "Oh I forgot to ask do you like my hair?"

Nisha looked at Valeria thoughtfully before answering, "Do you like it?"

Valeria just stared at herself in the rear view mirror contemplating this question.

"Val?" Nisha said leaning in Val's open window, "You're car was here before any of ours. Why were you late?"

Valeria's eyes widened as she looked at Nisha. What was she supposed to say? "I decided to get breakfast here and it... took longer than I expected."

Nisha raised an eyebrow in doubt. "My offer still stands if you ever feel like talking." Nisha said, deciding to stop pushing Val.

Val just smiled and nodded at Nisha before driving off.

*———————————————*

Valeria sat at the large dinner table, across from Oscar. There was a feast on the table in front of her yet her plate was empty, she didn't have much of an appetite. Oscar was enjoying his meal, his henchman sat and ate at the dinner table with him, something Val appreciated, though it was clear these men had hardly been around a woman. They were rowdy, shouting, and laughing while enjoying their meal. Val quite enjoyed the hilarity of it.

Oscar looked up from his meal and saw Val hadn't eaten anything. "You need to eat, you don't look well." Oscar said to her, gruffly.

She was surprised by his bluntness and cleared her throat, "I'm not very hungry, but the food looks great."

Oscar rolled his eyes, "Women." He sighed. "Just eat the fucking food."

Valeria stared at him for a minute, him staring back in all seriousness. She finally broke and sighed, grabbing some food and putting it on her plate. Oscar smiled and continued his own meal.

After dinner Oscar invited Val on a walk around his gardens.

"I never knew you gardened so much." Valeria said, admiring all the beautiful plants around her.

"It has been a favorite hobby of mine ever since I was little." Oscar said with a smile. "Of course not many people know that I garden as not many people know who I am."

Valeria looked at him, "Well who are you?"

"Many call me a hunter, which I suppose I am. It's how I got my wealth, and it's how I maintain it." Oscar said while staring at a tiger lily.

"You and Montague have a history, don't you?" Val asked abruptly, but not really meaning to.

Oscar looked at her, slightly surprised. "Yes, we do." He said with a frown. "Montague made his money by taking it from others."

"He was a thief?" Valeria confirmed. She had only heard rumors of such, since he wanted his reputation erased and he had the money to do so his history was practically wiped. The only thing people knew about him is he rose to fame and wealth quickly and didn't stop, he was power hungry.

"Yes." Oscar said, "But of course he doesn't go around telling people as that would ruin his reputation he's worked so hard to build." Oscar sighed. "One night he chose to rob the wrong place. This place had lot's of wealth and influence, it was the perfect target. However, he was caught, and the owner, in a fit of rage almost slashed his eye out."

Valeria stared at Oscar, she knew exactly what he meant. "You're the one that gave him that scar over his eye?"

"These claws are sharper than they seem." Oscar said, looking to the sky. "I could have killed him right then and there, but... but I let him go. He never stood a chance against me and he knows he still doesn't, that's why he despises me so."

After their walk Val went to her observatory and stared at the stars for a while, remembering each one's name as she looked at them. It wasn't long before she drifted off into a peaceful sleep of stars dancing.

"Valeria!" Oscar shouted up the stairs of the observatory. He just wanted to check on her before he went to bed and make sure she felt okay. When he heard no reply he went up the stairs and found Valeria sleeping peacefully, her head resting on her desk. Oscar scooped her up in his arms with ease and laid her on the couch. He pulled a blanket over her and then saw himself out.

"You two stand guard here tonight, I do not want to see a single one of you messing around, understood?" Oscar said to some guards outside the Observatory. They nodded their heads.