Solitary [MCSM Fanfiction]

Chapter 6: DEMAND REFUSAL

It was decided that Petra wouldn't be anywhere near Lukas and Aiden during their talk. She didn't like that. She didn't like missing out on a chunk of information that involved her. But heck, she did have to get the piquant, smoky scent out of her hair and the confetti ash out of her clothes.

She came out of her bedroom, leaving a faint trail of citrus and forest aroma where she walked after a short-lasting, therapeutic bath. All twelve blaze rods were in her hands, ready to be dropped into the chest of build supplies.

"You told on me. What are you trying to do? Kick me out?" was what she heard when she was headed to the lounge.

Quick to anger: check. Aiden had quite the interesting package - one that shook Petra's instincts to giddiness. Nevertheless, he still looked at the floor more than he looked at her, a blatant sign of insecurity. And even though Petra was far from a mother figure, studying body language was all part of her training and something she knew how to do well. She had no reason to be afraid in the slightest. He blocked her way on the last step of the staircase.

Wanting to tire him, she let him pour out all his ranting before answering.

"Lukas told me everything you said about me not coming with you, and now he hates me. You think you got away with this."

She'd had to deal with many people like this on multiple occasions before, those always flipping the script, turning the tides, redirecting the blame to her. Before, every wrong was never not her fault. It was a different story now that she knew how to stick up for herself. "So did you. You lied to me; left me there to do everything myself."

"What's going on?" Another voice spoke from the front door, bright, nasal tone with that distinct, cursive affectation.

Petra wondered how they'd got back from their cobblestone trek just now. Didn't they leave before her? And there were two of them while she was left to struggle alone.

Gill was dropping the material they'd gathered in the chest in the corner of Petra's eye. As he finished, Aiden burned more of his argumentative fuel, perhaps expecting everyone else in the room to take his side. "You're a warrior right? And you've been working alone your entire life. Wouldn't it be embarrassing to say you need someone to help you loot?"

"Not if it could risk my life. You don't get it. I can face danger to a certain extent, but I'm not stupid."

"You're just scared to admit you aren't actually good enough."

It didn't start off with an 'I think' or an 'I believe'. This wasn't Aiden's opinion - it was his statement and worryingly, Petra was wise enough to accept some of its truth. The wall that was holding her back from snapping was shaved down to an extremely brittle width.

"This isn't about my skill set, Aiden. You said you'd be there in twenty minutes. An hour passes and it's Lukas who comes through the portal, not you."

It was a standoff in who could hold in their temper the longest. Dare she admit it, the green-eyed Ocelot was skilled at putting her on the verge of getting ticked off, meaning she was currently losing. She was torn over deciding whether to drop her newly bought back fury flame into a tiny candle wick or a huge puddle of gasoline.

'He couldn't have done any better,' thought Petra, something she wished she could have said if it weren't for Maya and Gill witnessing the first quarrel panning out in front of them.

"How many blaze rods did you get anyway?" he asked.

"Twelve," Petra responded blandly. "Why?"

Twelve was impressive: it would last them a good while. Twelve meant it took time and effort. Twelve was-