BEAUTIFUL MONSTER

8 : A New Side to Deacon

"Ugh...I'm going to be sick." I stared down at the ground with my mouth slightly parted and my eyes drooped. "Deacon? Deacon!" I hit at his lower back to get his attention, "put me down."

His hand which was holding onto my legs didn't move up, instead tightened and he didn't answer.

"You're such a ass." I groaned, trying to lean up but his other hand came up and he pressed down on my shoulder blades causing me to slump back down.

His shoulders were wide and strong, his back broad and muscled and I could see the intricate design of black ink in the darkness. "I didn't know you had more tattoos."

"You don't know a lot of things about me." He said quietly. "Feel my back."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

I did, tentatively reaching out a hand to slide against his back. I gasped, "Oh, my god." What I had thought to be a smooth back was instead lined with ragged scars and deep closed cuts. "Christ, Deacon, what the hell happened to you? Who did this?"

He shrugged, and chuckled. "Careful. You don't want to sound as if you care."

"Seriously? You're acting as if..." I couldn't help but feel his back, tracing the lines and going down his spine. "Wow, it's giving me shivers."

He grunted, before tossing me down without any warning. "Ugh! Thanks," I snapped sarcastically, hoisting myself up. "You're a real sweetheart."

"So...why does it feel like we're going round and round in a circle, never going anywhere?" He asked, leaning against a tree trunk and raising an eyebrow at me. I saw his gaze fall down before his lips lifted slightly at a smirk.

I pulled my down, trying and failing to cover my midriff. The coats Kelly and I had donned to hide away from her inquiring mother were somewhere Ross' living room. "What did you do to Kelly?"

"Do we have to talk about her?"

"Yes, we do, Deacon. She's my friend and I'm not going to stand here and let you hurt her."

He scoffed, "Give back your friendship bracelet. You're too late."

I dropped my gaze to his crossed arms and raised an eyebrow. "You're still wearing it?" Against his brawn and tanned arm was the BFF bracelet I had made for him.

He nodded, fingering it. "Yeah, why, aren't you?"

I looked away, "Um...no, not exactly."

He shook his head, an incredulous look painted on his features and he walked over to where I stood, looming over me. "So, lemme get this straight," he narrowed his eyes, glaring down at me threateningly. "You made me wear this on the condition you'd wear yours, yet you're not wearing it. Why?"

I backed into the tree, staring up at him apprehensively. "I forgot. Sorry?"

"Can I ask you something?" His lips were pressed into a thin line.

I nodded hesitantly. "Sure, go ahead."

"Firstly, where the hell is your mother? And how did she let you out of the house looking like this?" He pulled at my top, bringing my closer to him.

"I was at a party. She doesn't know." I grumbled, pressing my hands against his chest to stop our bodies from meeting.

"Ah, I see." He quirked an eyebrow. "How was it? Good?"

Confused as to the direction the conversation was going, I nodded. "Yeah, it was okay. Could've been better."

"Are your panties still white?"

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

He bit down into his bottom lip, smiling slightly. "Virgin or not? I'd be really surprise if you haven't lost it, did you charge?"

My mouth dropped open in shock. "Screw you! You are such an asshole!" I pushed him away, and spun around to walk off. Only it didn't quite work out like that; Deacon pulled me back, his arm around my neck and my back resting against his hard chest.

"Okay, Doll, enough messing around." He murmured lowly in my ear, his voice deep and dark as he tightened his grip against my neck. "You have ten seconds to tell me why you didn't come and see me all week before I do something you really won't like."

I swallowed, my hands going to his arm to try to pry it off to no avail. "Please tell me you're a slow counter Deacon-"

"Tick tock." He interrupted as his other hand rested flat against my stomach and he held me tighter.

"Okay okay," I frantically thought, gritting my teeth as he wiped his stubby cheek against my own. My hand came up and slapped him away. "Can you stop that? It's distracting."

"Three...two...one," he twirled me around, releasing my neck and smiled devilishly. "And what is your excuse, my fair maiden?"

"You're a crazy bastard who should be locked up!" I spat, before spinning around and running as fast as I could. Knowing my retarded chicken run was going to get me caught, I broke off pieces of branches and threw them behind me and a whole wad of leaves went flying past too.

"Seriously? You're chucking leaves at me? What's that supposed to do - slice me?" he was in front of me, brushing off his shirt and maintaining a mocking look on his face. "Congratulations, you qualify for the next Spider-Man. Please step up to the podium and collect your award."

"Screw you!" I hissed, stepping backwards.

He laughed. "Imagine it though, instead of webs, Spidey goes pooeh-pooeh and out comes this tiny little leaf."

"Yeah?" I scrambled on the ground, and picked up a handful of dirt and tiny rocks. "How about this, Venom comes along and-" I threw the debris in my hand. "You die,"

He blinked, his lips rolled up in his mouth as he looked down at the dirt splattered across his chest. "Well...that wasn't morbid at all."

I ran off, trying to desperately run faster and willing my legs to stop bending at the wrong places, already my lungs were aching and I felt my breathing become shallow.

He groaned, "Can we take a time-out? I can't be arsed with this tag game."

"Hey!" He called and I look back to see him leaning against the tree. "I'm calling for a time-out, you can't keep running...fine! I'll just go see if your little friend wants to play."

I stopped, skidding slightly against the ground on my quick stop and slowly turned around, angry. He smiled and waved, looking immensely relaxed. With my jaw locked and my hands on my waist, I marched back towards him.

"You...are...a...bitch!" I hit his chest for every word I said.

"And you are a snitch," he cooed, pinching my cheek. "For a crazy second I thought you were going to run off and tell on me. Stupid right?"

I sighed, exasperated. "Quit the lame jokes, Deacon and just tell me what you want."

"You're no fun," he smiled faintly before his eyes turned dark and he cocked his head. "I'm seriously curious as to why you didn't come and see me. Am I that bad?"

"Listen to yourself, Deacon. It's as if you don't realise what you're doing. You've strangled me, hurt me and a bunch of other crazy shit, right now I'm wondering why I'm not screaming and running the hell away from you, why do you think I'm avoiding you?" I shook my head, "if I left today, I wouldn't come back."

He was silent for a long while, and he just stared at me, his face blank although I could tell he was thinking things over judging from the change of emotions in his eyes. He finally spoke, his voice quiet and seeming hesitant. "What if - what if we came to some sort of...agreement?"

I gave him a look, being wary and cautious. "Agreement? I don't get you."

"I promise to never physically hurt you ever again - at least not on purpose."

I looked at him before flicking my gaze away and then going back. "No strangling or choking?"

"No strangling or choking." He repeated, nodding.

I sighed, "I don't know. How do I know I can trust you?"

He shifted, leaning towards me slightly and then he smiled this half smile. "That's the best part. You don't."

I turned away from him, swallowing. "I really don't understand. What do you want from me?"

"Honestly?"

I nodded.

"Company," he swallowed, his dark eyes watching my face closely. "You're the first person I haven't... Um, never mind. But listen, in the past when someone knew about me, I'd leave automatically. You know of my existence and yet I'm still here. I don't know. I guess I sort of trust you and you've helped me."

I closed my eyes briefly before looking at him, my voice a whisper as I asked. "What are you running from?" Some part of me didn't want to know while another was dying of curiosity.

His face was wiped clean of any emotion and his jawline locked. I could see his eyes clouding up and fury wash through them at whatever he was thinking of. "That...I can't tell you."

"Fine. But what exactly are you doing here?"

He shook his head.

"You can't tell me?" I pressed my lips together.

"No," he said quietly.

"You say you trust me yet you can't even tell me what you're doing here or what you're running from?"

"It's complicated."

"Yeah, it is." I looked away, annoyed and angry. "Where the hell is Kelly or are you not going to tell me?"

He looked at me. "You're angry."

"Just," I threw a hand in my hair in frustration. "Ugh, whatever Deacon. I want to go home and I need to find Kelly. Are you going to help me or not?"

"Follow me." He turned and slipped between the gnarly trees and looking around, I sighed and followed him silently.



** ** ** ** **

"What did you do to her?" I cried as I dropped to my knees and cupped Kelly's head. A trickle of blood dripped from her head and down her face, staining her scarlet.

"Nothing, I just...knocked her out."

"You call that nothing?" I snapped, trying to stop the small flow of blood. I gently slapped her face. "Kelly, hey Kelly,"

"No," Deacon grabbed my arm to stop me from attempting to wake her up. "I can't let her see me,"

"You knocked her out!" I shoved him away furiously. "Of course she's seen you!"

Deacon stayed silent for a while before he dropped to his knees. "She was drunk so maybe she won't remember me when she wakes up and even if she does, maybe...maybe you could try and-"

My eyes widened as I realised what he wanted me to do, and I hissed. "You want me to lie to her? To cover for you?"

He bit down into his lip. "You're not going to help me, are you?"

"Not a chance in hell." I spat, and tried to heave Kelly up but she was too heavy and I gritted my teeth, straining with effort.

"Here," Deacon pushed me to the side.

"What are you-"

"I've got it. You just lead the way." He had Kelly slung over his shoulder.

"But I'm going to go out of the forest..." I stammered confused. "What if you get caught?"

"Just lead the way."

"Um, sure." I walked ahead and once or twice Deacon pointed out I was going in the wrong direction before leading us to the edge of the forest.

"You ready?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not going into battle, Doll. Calm down, you're acting as if you care if I get caught."

"Yeah right," I scoffed but I kept a lookout all the same. Deacon chuckled but didn't say anything.

As we were going down the street and past the convenience store, Kelly groaned loudly and we both froze. When it became apparent she wasn't going to wake up, we both shared a look before continuing. I was having a mental debate about showing Deacon my house and looked back at him to see he was deep in thought, a troubled look on his face and it was then I realised what a risk he was taking. To risk exposure just to help Kelly and I to get home. That was pretty nice of him to do that considering he didn't have to.

I breathed a sigh of relief at the fact the downstairs lights weren't on; Mum doesn't know.

"This is where you live?" Deacon asked, looking around him curiously.

I nodded, and gave a slight shrug of my shoulders. "Yeah...so, um, thanks, y'know for helping me with Kelly - although you did knock her out." I realised, raising both eyebrows.

He chuckled. "Sorry about that,"

"Well, as long as you don't do it again," I said before motioning. "You can just set her down, I can drag her through the door."

He leaned against the wall near the door before shrugging himself down and then leaning back. "So..."

"So," I said awkwardly, and grimaced slightly. "This is weird,"

"Yep," he agreed before he leaned forward, and my breath caught in my throat as his face came into detail. "Are you going to come see me tomorrow? I'm just asking, that's all," he added.

I shrugged. "I don't know, if I'm honest, probably not."

He sighed, "Alright, your choice."

Surprised, I said. "What, no threats, no chokeholds?"

He rolled his eyes. "I said I won't hurt you again, didn't I? Although..." He slowly smiled wickedly. "I didn't say anything about threats,"

"You are-"

The door opened behind me. "Bea, uh, what's - what's going on?"

"Shit." Deacon cursed, moving backwards.

"Go inside Ellie."

"Who's he?"

"Ellie, go inside please." I stressed, keeping my voice low in case Mum woke up and heard.

"I need to go." Deacon murmured lowly, "walk me to your gate."

I nodded, and said to my sister. "I'll be right back,"

Deacon and I hurried to the gate and we stopped just outside. I leaned against the wall as Deacon looked at me. "Are you going to get in trouble?"

"Careful Deacon, you almost sound like you care." I repeated his earlier words back to him.

"I don't, but if you get grounded you won't be able to come see me tomorrow,"

"And how do you know if I'd come see you?"

"I don't," he smiled cheekily and then he did the unexpected. He leaned in close so that I could smell this manly, rich woodsy smell off him and his index finger lifted my face up. Before I could do anything, his soft lips pressed against my forehead and I stopped breathing. "But I really hope you do,"

"Uh..." I swallowed, not meeting his gaze. "I'm going to go now."

His laugh was rich and mischievous and he said, "Sweet dreams, Doll."

I nodded, blinking and going through the gate, I raised a hand. "Yeah, um you too."

"Wait...actually why don't you invite me in and I could sleep with you, that way I'd know I would--"

I blanched before turning and whisper-yelling at him, my tone horrified. "Are you crazy?! My Mum would kill me!"

"Maybe next time?"

"Never in hell, Deacon." I looked back to make sure Ellie wasn't listening.

He leaned forward and smiled that half smile again and he said in a husky voice. "Your sister looks like she's about to come running out, screaming at me to stop raping you. I suggest you leave before I convince you to let me stay."

I felt a shiver crawl up my spine at his suggestive tone and his closeness - a good shiver. I opened my mouth to speak but he shook his head at me to keep quiet, he raised his hand, saluting me and he whispered. "Close your eyes."

Not knowing why I did, I complied. When I opened them again, he was gone and I was left with an unconscious, half-naked girl, a curious sister and a mind that kept playing unlikely scenarios involving Deacon and me.

I groaned, damnit.

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