Guts And Glory

ACT II: CHAPTER FIVE: VARIOUS STORMS AND SAINTS

ACT II: OPENING SCORE

CHAPTER FIVE: VARIOUS STORMS AND SAINTS

"Good morning to you, my Queen."

Piper's laugh is short and light, giving Eric a loaded look over shoulder, blinking back at his digitized image loaded up on her laptop. Finn mumbles something under his breath-Piper had recently discovered him to be an avid talker during his sleep-arm stretching out to the side, meeting empty space before turning over to lie on his stomach, face down. "I'm not Queen yet, Eric. There's no need for formalities."

"You're going to have to get used to the title soon enough." Piper has had her whole life to become acquainted with her self-imposed destiny. She's used to it, is what goes unsaid, Piper stepping into a blue day dress, shaking out her hair and combing it through. If Piper was to cringe away from her right then she wouldn't have begun this journey, wouldn't have sacrificed her friendships if she wasn't completely sure that her throne awaits her, her judgement will give justice, she will be the saviour everyone has been praying for.

Eric, sweet dear Eric, understands this. He had crashed into her life aged sixteen, then slotted himself in as her step-brother within the following year. He understands the want-the need-for Piper to become Queen, as this isn't just a side hobby to prove self-worth, this has been a lifelong dream founded upon words said in passing. As Eric Flint blinks back at her, thousands of miles away, but still so close to where home is, his jaw ticks slightly, the words left unsaid saying so much more than what is. Piper is preparing herself for the days where the only thing people will be able to say to her is Yes, my Queen, dependent on the words they will receive in reply.

Piper isn't only doing this for power. Piper is doing this to own. Own the people, their thoughts, their possessions, their souls.

"How did it go last night?"

"Oh, Eric," Piper sighs, voice light-a mixture of not wanting to awake Finn, who is considerably grouchy in the mornings, and of the excitement brimming beneath the surface, under pale skin and dark freckles-securing her earrings, diamonds-an heirloom. "It was magical. Everything I've ever dreamed of. You would have loved it, honey."

"You're still using honey as your tell for when you're being passive aggressive, aren't you?" Eric's jaw tightens at this, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose in an expression of frustration-all for show, as he would feel personally offended if he couldn't navigate his way through the complexity of which Piper tries to convey. "Oh, honey," he imitates, pushing Piper back into days of her childhood when her father's mother would do much of the same.

"Actually," Piper interrupts tartly, lips tilted, "I've managed to use it to cover a wider range of emotions. For example, oh, honey, that is so chic." His answering laugh is loud and raucous, and Piper hurries to turn down the volume of her laptop before he ends up waking up Finn. "You're going to wake up Finn."

"He's staying there?" The hints of a frown begin forming on his face. "Isn't that a bit-fast? You've only been together for two months."

"Yes, well," her shoulders lift in a shrug, completing the end of her sentence before she does, "it seemed only natural. Finn's also quite intense."

"Intense?" Eric repeats, lips pinched, "How?"

"He's-ah, Finn's really invested into this-us. The relationship. He's all in. Putting all of his eggs in one basket, y'know? It's hard to explain," Piper looks away from the heaviness of Eric's stare, turning to get another look at the man in her bed, "but he's here, with me."