Skulduggery Pleasant fan-fic: The Cradle of Magic (UNDER EDIT)

Stairs to the roof...

-Bliv

I felt self-conscious. Very. And I could swear this guy was looking, rather awkwardly; at my bust, and not at my fitness status which he was meant to be monitoring. It was, of tradition, to 'check out' (in my case more ways than the original meaning) new workers at the Sanctuary so that they would be adequate for work. My objection was that I had spent almost all of my childhood training in combat with three of the most skilled fighters in Britain, if not the world and my other point of order was that most of the old gits working for this Sanctuary were way past the status of 'overweight' so this rule was frankly stupid.
"Faster, no, drop and do ten!" I stood off the running machine and onto the squidgy yoga mat. I looked into his eyes and gave him the death stare. I was honestly sick and tired of this, "Make me..." I asked mockingly tilting my head to the side.
"You asked for it" he chuckled and ran at me, but failing to even touch me before I flipped him over my hip and into a nearby rowing machine. He moaned.
"I take that as 'the session is over and I can go work now? Yes? Why thank you..." and I slipped on my trainers, grabbed my hoodie and left the gym a successful smile passing over my face. The question now was; "Where the hell do I go now?" I looked at my watch which Skul had given me on my fifteenth birthday after he managed to set fire to my limited edition Billabong watch; this one however was so much better because there was a silver 'Bliv' carved into the metal. The time read 10:23, that meant seven minutes until my meeting with the Grand Mage, or judging by typical Erskine standard that meant at least fifteen minutes.. ish...
I started walking until I found a set of stairs that seemed vaguely familiar and decided to climb them to the top floor, because I had time to spare and I had never been allowed to the top floor of the Sanctuary before. As I reached floor four, I remembered a coffee shop at the end of the corridor and darted in to grab a cappuccino abandoning thoughts of life ambitions. Yeah, free time was pretty snaz. The queue was around three people long and consisted of two young-ish men a midde aged woman and middle aged man. I started humming a tune; which happened to be 'somebody that I used to know' by Goyte, just because it was on the radio in the gym. Suddenly there was a brief tap on my shoulder and I turned to another freaking familiar face.
"Omi god..." I mumbled
"Yeah, er sorry..." she muttered in an English accent,
"Oh my god..."
"Have you seen Fletcher Renn anywhere, he's like this tall" she gestured around the top of her chest "stupid hair, British, and so damn freaking annoying..." she stopped and turned, shock radiating from her eyes. "F***!!..." she put her hands to her mouth.
Yes it was true. Everyone did swear when they saw me.
She gripped me by my shoulders and gazed in disbelief. "Bliv?? Wha? But you're so... tall! And muscly.."
"Yeah, yeah I am" I had got used to this experience by now, I laughed and hugged her.
"Missed you..." she muttered
"You too..." I said over her shoulder. Due to raised voices we had made quite a stir in the little canteen and by this time most of the shop had turned to look at us. A recent habit of mine. I pulled out of the hug, "Wait, did you say you were looking for Fletcher?"
She paused and frowned "Er yeah, the bastard deserves a punch that's all..."
"Why? What's he done?" I quizzed
"Well he stole my... Oh um nothing really..."
"Oh no do tell..."
"Well, it's a bit embarrassing..."
"It's only me Tan, it's not like I'm Skul or anything..."
"Fine, okay I'll tell you.. But don't go telling Skully or Sarc or anybody..."
"If I tell Sarc you are automatically condemned to a life of gloating, so no, I won't..."
"Okay, so you know Ghast and I are an 'item'?"
"Oh God, no I never knew.." I mumbled sarcastically, " Actually, wow it's taken a long time hasn't it?"
"Wow no.. We were like dating and then we split cuz some stuff happened, but we've got back together again, so yeh anyway... Ghast lent me this book and then Fletch took it."
"Then why is this such a big deal?"
"Well this book had a note from Ghast in it, and part of the reason we went split was because of others being all pressurising... So we don't want the others to know.. Yet.."
"Nawwwwww Tanith!!!"
"I know.." She blushed.
We got to the front of the queue and I ordered a coffee and Tanith got a hot chocolate; we sat in the far corner.
"So what with you? How's life going Hun?" Tanith asked bringing her hot chocolate in closer, preserving warmth.
"Well, yeah it's been okay, I'm working here now.. They recruited me after Uni, and um I've got a flat in Dublin.. So yeah life's great..."
"Gosh you're working here? Wow Bliv that's great!"
"Yeah, thanks..."
"Any man in your life?" She held her hands over mine
"Er... Well.."
"OMG tell me.."
"We aren't like dating... Nothing like that... It's just I like him, and it think he likes m..."
"Yes, yes he does.. Course he does, my God look at you! Go on tell me his name..."
"Um, well... You know Dexter Vex?"
She put her hands over her mouth. "Oh my God!"
"Yes I know..."
"Oh my FRICKING God!!"
Two men came over to the table, "hey ladies..."
Tanith was still hyperventilating. "Er Hiya!" I responded.
"Tanith are you Ok?" Asked the smaller one.
She snapped back "yeah, um great!"
The two men looked at each-other, Tanith turned back to me, "Bliv I take it you know Dexter Vex and Saracen Rue..." I couldn't stop laughing at Tanith's expression...
"Er yeah, yeah I do..."
"Good."
There was a long pause. A really awkward pause.
"So um Bliv..." I looked up to Dex." I was wondering if I could have a quick chat?" He swallowed and Sarc shot him a deadly look. I got up,
"Yeah sure! I'll see you later Tan!" And gave my coffee to an annoyed Sarc, leaving the two in the coffee shop.
I followed Dex out of the shop and up the stairs to the roof. The view was beautiful up here, yet the place was completely empty aside from a few pigeons.
Dex turned to me when we neared the edge of the roof, nearing the handrail.
"Bliv," he took my hand.
"Yeah?" I smiled
"Well. Um, sorry..." He turned away
"It's fine.. Go on.."
"Well, I wanted to ask you.." He turned "You don't like have to say yes or anything, but um..."
"Dex, it's fine just ask.." He came closer and retook my hand.
"Do you, maybe, want to go out sometime?"
I put my hand on his chest, and I could feel his pulse, it was flickering like fire. So was mine.
"I'd love to..."
He beamed, "great..." "That's great..."
And I looked into his endless blue eyes that I fell into every time I glanced at him, and he looked into mine, and I slowly lent in and kissed his soft, warm lips. I had fireworks exploding inside, and he wrapped his arms around my hips, bringing me closer. I moved my hands up and around his neck, the wind blew the hair off my face and from my back, making the scene look extra romantic. I pulled out of the embrace and softly kissed his cheek.
"How's that leg of yours?" He smirked
"Fine. Absolutely fine, thank you."
"I believe you have a meeting don't you?"
I checked my watch, "apparently.."
"I'll see you then yeah?"
"Yeah.. Bye" and I walked across the roof and closed the door behind me, and jumped the flight of stairs just for pure fun. I skipped the rest of the way, ignoring the funny looks from random mages. And knocked on Ravel's door.

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Hope u liked that chapter peeps!!
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My update date (now that school is bac) is every Friday =D
Because I love Fridays.. Fridays are cool..
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