#I just wanted to churn 'er out for you guys ASAP

[court-of-abs]

“Maybe Tomorrow” (Elorcan Fanfic) [Chapter 5]

Hey! Only two days late this time (Shhhhhh I know I technically promised last Saturday, but I promised Tuesday after my first delay so we’re going with two days late to make myself feel better, Ok? thanks lovelies) I’ve tagged everyone who has requested to be tagged below, and if you’re not on this list, and want to be, just comment on this post! I know my releases are sporadic and extremely late most of the time, so having me tag you may just be the best way to keep up with everything (or you can always turn your post notifications on for me. Either way, I’m not complaining ;) ). ENJOY DUCKLINGS!

Chapter 4 | Chapter 6

Tag List: 

@bibliophileinnightcourt @colbelike @bluephoenix222 @zorpher @high-lady-of-perranth @addled

“Good work today boys” Mr. A said, blowing his whistle to signal the end of practice. Lorcan hastily walked away from the group huddle, grabbed a towel off the bleacher railing, and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he made his way towards the locker room. It hadn’t been good work today, at least not for Lorcan. He’d been slow, careless. He’d messed up more plays in a single practice than he had in his entire football career, or at least it seemed that way.

It also seemed that the new quarterback wasn’t particularly fond of Lorcan and had made it a point to avoid passing to him at all costs. Lorcan wasn’t particularly fond of him either.

At least not since-

“Lorcan!” Fenrys called from behind him, causing Lorcan to turn his head. Fenrys and Connal jogged right up to him, slowing down once they had reached his side. “You ready for tonight?”

Fenrys, who, Lorcan realized, felt the need to be shirtless in just about every situation, was currently using his jersey to wipe off the sweat from his face.

“What’s tonight?” Lorcan asked, shaking his head at Fenrys’ choice of attire.

“Lorcan, you’ve forgotten already?” Fenrys said. He pushed his hair, which was free from its usual top knot, out of his face and swung an arm around Lorcan’s shoulder, or, tried to at least. Lorcan had almost a foot on him, on both of the twins. Lorcan shrugged it off immediately. “I swear just this monday you were complaining the black eye I gave you would prevent your future, hmm, how would you say it Connal?”

Fenrys looked past Lorcan to gain his brother’s attention on the other side of him. Connal let a slight smile play on his lips as he rolled his eyes and turned towards Fenrys. “Prospects?” he asked mockingly, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

“Yes, prospects.” Fenrys said, sending a look of pure mischief right towards Lorcan. “And would you look at it now, there’s barely any bruising left around your eye crybaby.”

Lorcan, stifling the urge to snap right back at Fenrys, groaned and rubbed his face with his hands. “God, that fucking party.”

Connal chuckled.

“Yes, that’s the one” Fenrys said, a smile dancing on his lips.

Connal looked up at both of them, his eyes darting away to avoid both of their gazes. “Are you sure we should go? You know it’s at Aelin’s house this ye-”

“Maeve says we’re going, we’re going” Lorcan said, pinning Connal with a look that had him hanging his head again in an instant.

Fenrys chuckled. “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll make sure the fire breathing bitch doesn’t burn you.” Lorcan let a smile form on his lips, but Connal only shrugged and kept his head down.

They had reached the locker rooms at this point, and Connal walked straight into the locker room without even noticing that his two companions had strayed just outside the entrance.

“Does Maeve have a game plan yet?” Lorcan asked, grabbing Fenrys’ shoulder and preventing him from entering the locker room. It pained him to ask, he hated when people, and Fenrys of all people, knew something he didn’t. But he swallowed his pride, as difficult as it was, and continued anyway. “I know she wouldn’t just show up to Aelin’s house without a plan.”

Fenrys’ face scrunched up in confusion, “Not that I’m aware of. And besides,” Fenrys continued on, his brows furring deeper, “wouldn’t she tell you first? You’re her second, as she likes to say.” Fenrys’ eyes relaxed and a smile grew on his lips once more. He was all Cheshire cat as he said “ And given that you are completely and utterly in-”

Lorcan grabbed Fenrys’ by the shoulders and shoved him up against the side of locker room entrance, lifting him off the ground and leaning in so close that he could smell that horrid cologne Fenrys always had, trailing him everywhere. Not even a damn workout could cover up the stench.

“What were you going to say?” Lorcan’s voice was so low and so guttural that every word sounded like a growl. It was almost indecipherable.

“What?” Fenrys said, clenching his jaw and fighting against Lorcan’s grip. “Worried Connal will hear? Don’t worry, I’m sure he won’t mind if you get with her instead. He can’t stand her half the time any-” Lorcan bared his teeth at Fenrys, silencing him in an instance.

“What ever revelations you think that you’ve made, boyo, keep them to yourself” and with that Lorcan dropped Fenrys onto the ground. Fenrys rolled his shoulders, rubbing along the skin that Lorcan had been pushing up against just moments before.

Just then, the rest of the football team began walking into the locker room. Some turned towards Fenrys and Lorcan and gave them a low whistle or a quick wink before laughing to themselves and entering the lockers. Lorcan only realized just now how close they were, him towering over Fenrys, and Fenrys a mere inches from his face. Fenrys’ constant mischievous glare returned, and he merely winked at Lorcan as he sauntered away and high-fived one of the teammates, following them into the locker room.

Lorcan ran his hands through his hair and let out a sigh. Was he really that obvious? He couldn’t be. Fenrys was just observant, always had been. It was one of the reasons Maeve had brought him into their group.

It may also have been the reason she took him into her bed, as well as her brother.

But Lorcan could barely string two thoughts together at the moment, could barely even comprehend what this could mean for him now that Fenrys, and possibly others, knew how he felt.

Did Maeve know how he felt?

Lorcan turned towards the locker rooms and was met with two piercing green orbs, two pine-green eyes.

Rowan Whitethorn.

The two did nothing, just starred, both refusing to back down. Both refusing to look away.

But Lorcan, Lorcan was done with thinking right now. So he stormed right past Rowan and his “#3” Quarterback jersey, and went into the locker room.

“You stole a book?! And you’ve kept it for nearly A WEEK!” Aelin exclaimed, her jaw practically touching the floor as she gaped at Elide and pointed an accusatory flat iron towards her.

“Well, no, I mean I’m gonna give it back” Elide said, her voice small despite the urge to laugh at Aelin’s outburst. “The library was about to close and I was so tired that I just walked out with it. I accidentally shoved it in my bag as I was getting up to leave.”

Lysandra’s eyebrows shot up and she started laughing at Elide almost immediately after her confession. Manon, the ever heartless Manon, even had a small smile on her lips as she scrolled through her phone.

“You are going to give that back, today” Aelin said, waving her flat iron at Elide as she did so. Lysandra had yet to cease laughing, and Aelin only rolled her eyes at her friend before turning her attention back to Elide.

“I know, I’ll go right now” Elide said, already sliding off Aelin’s bed and making her way across the bright pink carpet and towards the bedroom door.

Lysandra, currently lounging over Aelin’s purple bean bag, shot out her leg, a gleaming black heel adding an extra extension, and stopped Elide from exiting. “No you don’t, the party is in less than an hour, and you’re not done getting ready.”

Elide swallowed. “But I-”

“Lysandra she stole a book. A-” Aelin, still using her flat iron as a pointer, gestured to the overpacked bookshelves lining the wall across from the bedroom door, “BOOK.”

Lysandra only raised her eyebrows at Aelin, refusing to back down. “She’ll return it tomorrow.” Lysandra raised her eyebrow further to accentuate her point.

“We’re doing campaign planning tomorrow” Manon interjected cooly, her gaze still locked on her phone. It was the first comment she’d made all afternoon.

“Then she’ll return it sunday.” Lysandra said.

“Library is closed sunday too.”

“Since when?”

“Since labor day weekend existed.”

“Well then she’ll return it monday.”

“Monday is labor day.”

“Tuesday then.”

“Tuesday we’re campaigning after school, unless her majesty” Manon side-glanced at Aelin, “decides to change that last minute too.” Elide could of sworn Aelin grinned at herself in the mirror as she continued straightening her hair.

“Wednesday, then, she’ll return it wednesday.”

“Wednesday is-”

“She’ll return it the next freaking time she goes to the library” Lysandra yelled, groaning loudly, plopping back into the bean bag chair, and throwing an arm over her face.

Aelin covered her mouth with her free hand, stifling a laugh the best she could. Manon let another smile creep onto her lips. Elide made a silent note to not try and best Manon. Maybe she just shouldn’t even try to talk to Manon.

“You little shits will be the death of me” Lysandra mumbled out, throwing her other arm over her face. Aelin still looked on the verge of laughing, but she turned back towards her vanity mirror and continued straightening her hair.

“Why are your parents not here tonight?” Elide asked, curiosity coming over here.

“Some farewell dinner for my father, I think. It’s his last term and all, and they wanted to do it now before the election gets even more heated than it is.” Aelin said, her focus still on her hair.

“I think my uncle’s going to that” Elide said, more to herself than to Aelin. But she knew Aelin had heard her.

“Manon” Aelin said, watching her reflection as she brought the straight iron through her shoulder-length blonde hair. Manon raised an eyebrow, still refusing to break her focus away from her phone. “Do Elide’s makeup, won’t you?” Manon sighed and rolled her shoulders, finally tearing her gaze away from her phone.

“Fine” Is all she said as she rose from the bed, her sleek ponytail falling down to her hips, and walked towards Aelin’s three-person vanity. She began pulling various boxes and objects out of Aelin’s several makeup bags. Half of the contents were currently spewed across the vanity, almost completely covering the bright blue surface.

“Your makeup collection is almost as bright and as messy as your room” Manon said, not a hint of emotion in her voice.

Aelin turned towards her and winked. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Manon, choosing to ignore Aelin’s response, analyzed the contents in her hands and then turned towards Elide, fixing her with a stare and raising an eyebrow to signal Elide to come over. Elide obeyed, making her way over to Aelin’s vanity and taking a seat in the chair next to Aelin and closest to the door.

“Now Elide,” Aelin started as Manon began inspecting Elide’s face and  searching through the contents in her hands once more, “what are we going to do about your outfit.” Elide shifted her gaze towards Aelin, finding her now on the other side of the room by Lysandra and sifting through plethora of clothes in her closet.

“Are we thinking… daring” she said pulling out a dangerously low cut v-neck and handing it down to Lysandra, “sexy” Aelin pulled out a crop top now, so cropped, that Elide thought the underside of her boobs were guaranteed to peek out, “or confident.” Aelin pulled out a black mini-dress. It was form fitting, and as she turned the back around to inspect the rest of the garment, Elide saw that it also would bare her back. Her entire back.

Aelin handed the two other garments to Lysandra and turned back towards her closet. But before Elide could see more, Manon yanked on her chin, bringing Elide’s attention right back to her.

“Don’t. Move.” She gritted out, grabbing for the concealer and going to work on Elide’s face. From her peripheral Elide could see Lysandra inspecting each garment and glancing over at Elide occasionally. Aelin continued searching through her closet, leaning back every so often to inspect it from a farther away.

“I’m not sure” Lysandra said, tossing the garments next to her so that they now resided on the floor, along with a good portion of Aelin’s other clothes. Elide attempted to shift her gaze towards them, but Manon merely yanked on her chin again, bringing Elide’s gaze right back to Manon’s.

“Or…” Aelin said, digging in the closet now with more fervor than before.

“I like the sound of or” Lysandra purred, rising from the beanbag chair and making her way over to Aelin.

Elide couldn’t see what they pulled out of the closet, but by the squeals that Lysandra emitted and the whistling from Aelin, she determined that they had found something-

“Daring, sexy, and confident. Elide, you’ll thank me later” Aelin said. Unable to fight looking away any longer Elide turned her head towards them, earning a string of curses from Manon.

“You’ve ruined the eyeliner.” Elide’s chin was yanked back once more, and Manon was so close to her face as she spoke that Elide could feel the warmth of her breath. “Move again, and watch what happens. Just watch.” Elide swallowed and didn’t budge again.

Once Manon had finished her makeup and finally permitted her to move away, Elide turned towards Aelin and Lysandra to find the both of them giving her roguish grins.

“The makeup looks amazing, as always Manon.” Aelin commented, stealing a glance towards Manon as she spoke and then turning right back towards Elide, that grin still in full control of her features. Elide now realized one of her hands was behind her back, hiding the garment she was to wear that night no doubt.

“Elide, tonight you are everything you think you can’t be. You are the Elide Lochan you are scared to be.” Lysandra tilted her head and looked Elide over. She turned towards Aelin and nodded. Elide brought her gaze over to Aelin as well, a knot forming her stomach and permanently tying itself as Aelin brought her hand out from behind her back, revealing the outfit she was to wear.

Manon, of all people, Manon let out a laugh louder than any of the ones they had let out earlier today. Elide could barely move, her jaw set in permanent gaping as she stared at their choice for her.

Aelin seemed to notice the hesitation, and her face softened a little bit. “If it really makes uncomfortable, we understand. No peer pressure.” Lysandra, however, was mouthing “say yes” so conspicuously that Elide could barely contain her laughter.

It was… nothing like Elide had ever worn.

But maybe she should try something else tonight, be someone else tonight.

So Elide closed her mouth, swallowed down her fear, untied the knot in her stomach, and nodded.

That was all Lysandra and Aelin needed as they rushed towards her to get her ready for the coming night.

Two hours later and the house was packed, literally packed. As Elide pushed through the crowd of people to make her way towards the kitchen she couldn’t help but compare the atmosphere to that of the lunch room. It seemed that school followed her wherever she went. Everyone packed together, so closely that personal space had been forgotten for the entire evening, and the music and conversation so deafening she was half-tempted to cover her ears as she walked by the speakers blaring out the electronic beats.

The kitchen was no better, but Elide needed to find Aelin, and after asking several people, most of whom were too drunk to even answer her, she was finally directed to the small living room that was directly adjacent to the kitchen.

She was glad she decided not to drink tonight. With the atmosphere, she wasn’t really sure what would've happened if she decided to drink.

Not that she had ever even taken a sip of alcohol before.

“Elide!” Lysandra whooped from the couch. She was currently standing on the top edge of the couch with Aelin, swaying her hips to the beat with one hand around Aelin’s waist and the other holding an empty bottle of wine.

“Get down before you fall!” Elide shouted over the music and rushed towards the two. Lysandra giggled and Aelin joined her. Elide looked around frantically for anyone to help her, but it seemed like someone was already keeping an eye on them.

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch them if they fall” Rowan said from the other side of the couch. He was watching both girls twirl around on the edge of the sofa, a fierce determination set in his gaze.

“Didn’t you try to get them down?” Elide asked, still reaching out for Lysandra and Aelin’s hands, but they moved away from her, sticking out their tongues and even daring to jump up and down on the top edge of the couch with the music.

Rowan chuckled, low and rugged. “trust me, I tried. But once you get to know these two, you’ll realize that they don’t let anything and anyone get in the way of what they want to do. No matter how crazy it is.” His gaze never left them as he spoke to her.

The music seemed to grow even louder then, her eardrums on the verge of bursting.

“How are the cops not already here shutting this down?!” Elide shouted, her voice cracking as she tried to shout over the music.

Rowan tilted his head. “Didn’t you drive up here? Her house is a good ½ mile from the main road and there aren’t any neighbors within a 5 mile radius.”

Elide felt all kinds of stupid. She’d marveled at the trees lining the dirt road up to Aelin’s house, Aelin’s oak-wood mansion with dark blue shutters and french windows and cherry trees and rose bushes and the stone fountain depicting Mala Firebringer. And, gods, the sense of escape it must offer. They could blast the music three, four times louder and no one would even notice.

Perks of being the president’s daughter, Elide guessed.

“Oh god, how much did those two drink!” Dorian said as he came up behind Rowan. His arm was cast lazily over Chaol’s shoulder, his other hand shoved into his pocket. Chaol only rolled his eyes and, if Elide wasn’t mistaken, leaned into Dorian’s touch a little more as Dorian directed them both to the chair opposite the couch that Aelin and Lysandra were currently dancing on.

“I’m betting that Lysandra drank that whole entire bottle herself” Dorian said, and Lysandra only bowed at him before returning to her dancing with Aelin. Elide sighed and moved away from the two, settling into the chair opposite Dorian and Chaol.

And then Dorian’s eyes turned towards Elide and they almost jumped out of their sockets. Chaol startled at the movement and turned towards Elide as well, his eyes flaring at her appearance as well.

“What on earth did Aelin make you wear” Dorian said, his mouth gaping.

“Doesn’t she look HOT” Aelin shouted from atop the couch edge, and let out a stream of giggles.

Uncomfortable was honestly more like it. Her previous confidence to try the outfit was practically gone at this point. Aelin and Lysandra had fit Elide into a black, very low cut bodysuit that left the back completely exposed and had so many cutouts along the sides that Elide thought it was a miracle nothing had peeked out yet. The shorts Aelin had given her to wear barely covered her butt. Barely. It was definitely a mix of daring and sexy, but Elide wasn’t really sure that the confident element was really there. That may have been partly because, right now, she had a lack of it.

“It’s just, I wouldn’t expect you of all people to wear something like that” Dorian claimed, his mouth still ajar.

“Hey! What makes you think that you know who she is and what she wears and-” Lysandra’s declaration started out strong but faded out as she began to slur her words. Dorian put up his hands in defeat and slung his arm back over Chaol’s shoulder. Aelin laughed and jumped down from the couch, landing on the ground as gracefully as a cat. She turned towards Rowan and gave him a goofy smile before leaning up to kiss his cheek and plopping down onto the couch. Lysandra soon followed, and Rowan, finally content that neither of them were in immediate danger, sat down next to Aelin on the couch.

“Where’s Manon?” Elide asked, turning her head around looking for the white-haired girl. Manon, to shed in her in a somewhat good light, had done Elide’s makeup extremely well. Bold, but not too bold. Nothing like her outfit for the night.

“Probably off somewhere making out with Asterin” Chaol replied, his arms crossed over his chest and his face bored.

Dorian snorted and buried his face in Chaol’s neck. Lysandra and Aelin giggled at Chaol’s comment and Rowan rolled his eyes, simply pulling Aelin closer to him as she let the fit of laughter take over her body.

“They think they’re being SO sneaky!” Lysandra exclaimed, laughter still reverberating through her body.

Just then, a long whistle with an abrupt cut-off was sounded and repeated, by the guests. Some of the party-goers even turned towards where Elide was sitting, seeking out Aelin’s gaze and reiterating the short tune until Aelin had met each of their stares and nodded.

“Good lord” Dorian said, putting his head in his hands. Chaol even had the sense to replace his bored look with one of annoyance, and a loud groan escaped Lysandra’s lips.

“What’s happening?” Elide asked, leaning forward in her seat a little more. Aelin closed her eyes for a moment and then turned towards Elide.

“That’s the signal my guests have to give me if they show up. It’s the only rule I have at my parties.”

Elide furrowed her brows. “When who shows up?”

Rowan turned towards Elide then, his usual hard demeanor now seemed as tough as obsidian as his eyes met Elide’s and he spoke.

“The Cadre.”