Flying Lorises {a modern day leviathan fic}

part vi

written by maddie, beta read by cat

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Groaning, Deryn rolls over onto her stomach and buries her head in her pillow. She blinks blearily, and reluctantly peeks at her watch.

Six forty-three.

She groans again and burrows deeper into the covers. Alek is still sleeping. Obviously, you can’t learn everything from a person online; take for example, whether or not he snores. She clamps the pillows over her ears and falls back asleep.

The next time Deryn opens her eyes, she’s being shaken awake.

“Wake up,” says Alek. He’s already dressed. “It’s already half past eight, I think you’ve slept enough.”

Deryn shuts her eyes again. “No, I haven’t,” she says, her voice muffled. “It’s all your fault.”

“My fault?”

“Yes. I hope you know that you snore like a rhinoceros.” The covers are pulled over her head.

She can’t see him, but his tone sounds indignant. “I do not.”

“Your princeliness snores like a herd of rhinoceroses.”

Alek mutters something under his breath and stomps off; she smiles with her eyes still closed. In the back of her mind, she knows she must get up. 

Deryn hears the door open, and Alek’s voice calling back, “We’re leaving in an hour.” The door slams.

After dragging herself to the bathroom and splashing cold water over her face, she’s woken up some. Getting dressed is the next step, she reminds herself sarcastically. 

“Where are my trousers?” says Deryn under her breath, flipping through her clothes.

Alek and Mr. Volger are downstairs eating in the lunchroom, when she’s found her clothes. They look like they are almost finished, and Alek glances up at her when she approaches the table. “You’ve got twenty minutes to eat,” he says.

“Where’s Mr. Klopp?” Deryn pulls up a chair, pleased that her plate has already been filled with breakfast foods.

“Early riser. He’s eaten already and he’s waiting in the limo,” answers Alek after swallowing a mouthful of muffin. Deryn’s mouth waters.

The pastries taste as good as they look, and she almost moans with gusto. She manages to swallow three or four of them before Alek and Mr. Volger are pushing back their chairs. Wiping her mouth quickly on the silky napkin, she scrambles after them.

Not even a word! she thinks, lips pursed. Alek is kind of a dick in real life. 

Outside, Mr. Klopp sits in the front seat of the vehicle, smiling at her when she walks out. “Good morning, Miss Deryn,” he says. 

“’Morning, Mr. Klopp.” She turns to Alek. “Where to?”

He shrugs, seeming hesitant. “I don’t know. Originally, we were going to go to a laser tag arena, but girls can’t really do that sort of thing, so – ”

His words are so close-minded and so sexist she can hardly believe they come from the mouth of Alek, the one she has always counted on being open. Deryn doesn’t even think twice before her fist connects with his arm.

“Ow!” He’s rubbing his bruised skin and she feels a twinge of satisfaction. “What was that for?”

Leaning forward, Deryn turns to the chauffeur. “Mr. Klopp, please drive us to the laser tag arena,” she tells him, and turning back, she smirks at her friend.

“Alek,” says Deryn, “I’m going to show you how a girl is going to kick your arse.”