Chapter 27 - Victory, It Tastes Like Chicken.

We walk down the street, most people avoiding Jack. He seems a little annoyed about coming second. Right now I'm more interested in finding myself something to eat, cheaply. The answer is provided by a burger joint that has been made to look like it fits in the surroundings but I recognise the name as one of the chain brands around New Orleans. At least they were in my world, hope they're the same here. Not that I ever tried the food in here before, previously I was a strictly liquid diet.

It's surprisingly busy in here though. I head up to the counter and it takes a couple of minutes for me to make my way to the front. Jack is besides me and pondering over what he'll be getting with his winnings. He'd won $100, I didn't notice there was runner's up prizes, but I should have realised when he was handed an envelope.

I order a full chicken burger meal complete with milkshake. It's be years since I had one of those, literally. The lady behind the till gives me her best fake smile and hands over my food which smells delicious. I manage to snag one of the tables near the edge, only big enough for two. Jack joins me and only just fits into the seat. That does not look comfortable.

I chow down onto the burger and I can't believe how good it tastes. I'd forgotten about eating real food for so long that this just tastes beautiful. Granted the mayonnaise is processed, the lettuce is watery and the chicken is rather bland, but goddamit if it wasn't the world's best right now. Even the overdone fries are like little bites of delicious. I actually take my time to savour some of it this time.

Jack now has a small smirk on his face and is watching me as I get to my shake. The liquid ice-cream is beautifully cool and slides down my throat and I lick my lips. The salt from the fries clashes with the sweetness still lingering in my throat as I lick the granules from my lips.

"Dude, anyone would think you hadn't eaten in ages." he chuckles.

I give him my best withering look, he actually starts to chuckle harder, attracting a few stares from other people.

"I haven't, you know that." I say.

"Know what? I didn't know you hadn't eaten." he says.

I blink. Oh. I guess he doesn't.

"I haven't eaten food like this in ten years."

He whistles. "Ten years? Didn't you like order take out or something?"

I snerk and grin. "I had take out once or twice, just mine was rather liquid."

He frowns at me then I can almost see realisation dawn on his face.

"You're telling me that... All you could feed on was, that stuff?"

I chuckle and nod softly.

"Yup."

"Fuck. How'd you get your protein?" he asks.

I choke on my milkshake and have to grab a napkin to catch the residue that decided to come out of my nose. Jack is looking bemused at the sight of me choking.

"Did you really just ask me that?" I look at him incredulously.

"Well yeah, did it contain all the nutrients you needed?"

It then occurs to me he's asking it from a body builder's perspective. Myself I am pretty fit and have a strong body. Granted not chiselled like this guy, but you can see my abs.

"Well, it didn't matter as I was before as we didn't change what we looked like. Well, without some mystical help. Secondly, could you avoid asking a gay guy how he get his protein in future?"

It was quite interesting to watch his face right now. It seemed to slide through emotions, starting at puzzlement, followed by realisation, then a grin as he realises what I meant followed by I think it was disgust as I'm betting he went and added a mental image at the end there.

"Oh! Oh. Gross."

I roll my eyes, I'm not about to debate the semantics of grossness over my rather delightful yet all eaten, burger and fries.

"Well, I'm done if you want to head back, unless there's somewhere else you want to go?" I say.

"You don't want to go out drinking with your winnings?" he says.

"This is all the money I have until I start earning, so I don't really want to blow it until I know there will be more of it. Plus I haven't actually been drunk for a while either, which considering my emotional state recently, I don't think you want either a sobbing emo or horny bastard, hanging off your arm." I look purposefully at his arms then back at his face. "That is if you'd even notice someone dangling off those guns."

He grins again and tenses the muscles in them, forcing the shirt to pull tight over his body. Sheesh, show off.

"Since I'm not supposed to beat you up yet, I guess we'd better head back."

I widen my eyes. Yet? Ah crap, I may need to get my smart mouth under control, but with these muscled bad asses around, I am not sure how long I can restrain myself.

We dump our rubbish into one of the side bins and start tottling back to the arcade. It doesn't take us long to get back and the place appears to still have quite a few people. I look around to see if I recognise anyone, but no one looks familiar to me. So I follow Jack upstairs and into the breakout room, which currently just contains Soothing. Yay.

"Well, that was a bit of fun! Next time I'll beat you though gayboy!" grins Jack and he turns and swaggers from the room.

Unfortunately he doesn't leave quietly and before he steps out the door, I feel his hand clap across my ass. Well, I think it was that, I didn't see him pick up a piece of wood, but that's what it fucking feels like as the pain spikes clean up my ass and I'm forced onto tip toes. Only the shock keeps me from yelping out as my ass feels like it was suddenly hit with a bat of bees, the stinging sensation kicking in moments later and my ass feeling like I sat in a hornet's nest. The room actually echoes with the force of the slap.

As the door shuts, I try to un-clench my jaw, breathing through my teeth and wait for the pain to ease off. God dammit, the ass hole! I'm sure he's just collapsed one of my buttcheeks!

"That.... Sounded like it hurt.." says Soothing.

I can only whimper and nod. The stinging sensation is easing slowly and I take deep breath through my nose and let it out my mouth.

"Ow."

Soothing smothers a grin, turning his head away. Looking at him gives rise to that feeling again, dulling the spiking pain that's currently stabbing my ass cheek. Now is as good time as ever.

"Ow... I thought I was the pain in the ass." I say.

Soothing turns to look at me and there's that look on his face. Curiosity mixed with scepticism. This would be more dignified an apology if my butt didn't sting so bad. So I'm currently rubbing my rear and facing him.

"I'm sorry Soothing. I've been an asshole. I got so jealous about that kiss and I don't know why I got so worked up about it. I know I don't have a right to be jealous." I say, looking down, rubbing my rear.

"You're right, you don't have a right to be jealous. But I understand why you reacted that badly. Your beast is new to you, it will have reacted to that anger and the rage within you would have fuelled the fire. Plus combined with what you and Lawrence have said about suffering a lack of emotions for the past ten years, it stands to reason that you would be struggling."

I nod softly and bite my lip.

"Again, I'm sorry and I'll try to do better." I turn to walk out the room. Though it's more of a limp, god, I thought we were supposed to have some faster healing?

There's no call back from Soothing to stop me and I feel my heart drop a little because of it. I head back towards my room, trying to look dignified, but I'm pretty sure I just look like someone fucked me.

When I get to the corridor with my room I see Wyrmripper and Rain talking outside the door across the hall from mine. Inwardly I groan and try to straighten up and look normal, walking down the corridor. Rain spots me and his face lights up.

"Bro!" he grins.

"Hey Wyrmripper, hi little bro. Sorry, am I disturbing you two?"

"Nah, just telling Rain here what he's gonna be doing tomorrow. Need him to translate some stuff for us." says Wyrmripper.

I nod gently and smile. "Great. Well I guess I should turn in for the night myself ready for whatever you've got for me tomorrow."

Wyrmripper grins and nods "Don't worry too much, we all have to do this stuff. Your ass won't be chewed out on the first day, but I won't go easy on it!" he says as he steps besides me and almost past.

And then he slaps my ass.

I'm not entirely sure what came out of my mouth, it was supposed to be a string of curse words that don't actually go together, but what came out was an incomprehensible string of syllables that were edged with anger and pain. I stumbled forward and grasped the door jam, gritting my teeth and panting through them.

"Whoa! The hell Alex?!" says Wyrmripper.

"Bro?! What's wrong?!" I hear Rain's voice besides me.

I can't speak, the sheer shocking pain that's lancing through my ass is unbelievable. Either these two don't know their own strength, or both Wyrmripper and Claw just don't hold back on ANYTHING. God dammit!

"What the hell's going on?!" says a familiar voice down the corridor and I hear two sets of footsteps coming up the hall. One more heavy set than the others.

"I don't know! I just slapped Alex on the ass and he nearly screamed the place down!" growls Wyrmripper.

Suddenly there's a huge guffaw from a very deep voice and I shoot a glare over my shoulder because I recognise that right away. Claw is clutching his stomach and is doubled over laughing and besides him is Soothing. Soothing's face is contorted in that look between sympathy and trying not to laugh. Wyrmripper isn't looking impressed and Rain looks damn worried.

"Oh dear. Wyrmripper, Alex just got a full bore slap on his ass from Claw before you did it." says Soothing.

"Oooooh shit!" hisses Wyrmripper through his teeth. He looks like he understands but there's a smirk breaking out on his face. He doesn't last long before he starts laughing too.

"Bro... " I hear a soft whimper besides me. Rain looks distraught.

"Hey... It's okay little bro... It was a backfired joke, that's all... Nrrrgh. I guess someone had to be the butt of this one." I flinch as another pain spike goes up my cheek.

Rain puts his hand across his mouth and I can hear a chuckle slipping out from him. I grin back at him and he starts laughing full out. Okay, my ass hurts, but Rain laughing like that, worth it.

"Urrgh. I swear, I'm gonna get you to kiss it better one day Claw." I growl softly.

That gets his attention and he grins at me. "Really cub? You think you can beat me?"

"I beat you at the talent show." I smirk at him.

His smile fades a little, but there's a cocky look in his face. "We'll see how you go pup. Your ass might not be able to handle me." he grins and walks off around the corner.

"Hehe, making friends already Alex. Sorry bout the love tap, but I'm sure you're not gonna be wanting that thing used for a while anyway." grins Wyrmripper and he walks off too.

"You alright bro?" asks Rain.

"Yeah, don't worry. You go rest up or check on Rin. I'm gonna go lay down.... On my front." I wince again.

Rain chuckles softly and opens the door across from mine before going in. Which leaves Soothing and me alone in the corridor.