Variegated (boyxboy)

[13] Rainbow ~end~

     Quin clung to Grimerson tightly as if he wasn't surrounded by governors, press and citizens, while the orphans watched from inside the airship.

     "Quin, this is not exactly professional..."

     The man only hugged tighter, and despite his words, Grim reflected the gesture. Just after doing so, though, he pulled back to lean in and plant a peck on Quin's lips.

     Now, they've shared cousinly pecks before, but it was Quin that usually initiated them, and they were most certainly not that long and they certainly didn't involve tongue.

     Grim could have been sympathetic of the fact that people were around, which meant he was lowering the reputation of the ship, but he couldn't care less by that point. All that he cared of was Quin, and the way his body responded- he could feel him shivering against his fingers, and the grip on his jacket tighten.

     "I'm quitting." Quin coughed out, shaking his head. "There's no way I'm going to run that airship with Peterson."

     Grim chuckled. "It's just what you said about me when my brother passed away, Quin. Besides, Peterson is a good man. If I grew on you, he'll most certainly manage."

     Quin shook his head, turning towards one of the governors in charge of the ship. "I am quitting."

     Before anyone got to react to his impulsive, uncharacteristic reaction, a determined but quiet voice interrupted.

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     Veronique glared at the security guy, whose hand was gripping one of the double doors. Turquoise eyes moved from the guard to the principal outside and back to the guard, the teenager's posture as stiff as a statue, until the creak of the door snapped him out of it.

     "Don't!" he screeched.

     Without much thought into it, he ran forwards and slid between the doors, reaching outside on the gangway.

     Outside.

     The first thing he felt was the overwhelmingly fresh air punching its way into his lungs with each pant he took.

     There was so much space! Anywhere he looked, there was just infinite horizon that made him feel so small and fragile and helpless! And despite the enormous space, there was not a place to hide from all the people gazing at him and him only.

     So many people. The most he ever saw were the orphans gathered at the dining room, near 200, but this... So many unfamiliar faces just gazing at him. Outsiders...

     "Me too..." he whimpered, then cleared his throat. "I'm- I- I'm leaving..." he tried, he really tried to stop his knees from shaking, but one of them did give up, making him limp once before getting back in balance.

     Walking was even worse. He felt handicapped under the crushing stares of the citizens, but he eventually managed to reach Grim and cling to him as if his life depended on it.

     Grimerson looked from Veronique to Quin and to one of the governors, Parker. "This is disrespectful towards the governors, I ask of you to put an end to this charade..."

     But he closed his eyes and sighed the moment he heard another round of steps coming from the ship. He didn't even need to look to know Matthews was approaching, William certainly on his trails. A chain reaction was slowly and steadily building up, and it couldn't possibly end up well.

     "We'll leave too." Matt casually announced, hands in pockets and shoulders slumped, just as the swooning girls in the crowd remembered him.