Title: Mine
Author: Kat Lee
Fandom: Monster High
Character/Pairing: Deuce/Cleo
Rating: PG/K+
Challenge/Prompt: fan_flashworks #131: Cake and smallfandomflsh #157: Superfluous
Warning(s): Spoilers for 13 Wishes
Word Count: 932
Summary:
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.



It was supposed to be just a simple outing to the mall to pick up her birthday cake, but nothing with Cleo is ever simple. People are staring at them now, but that, too, is nothing unusual. His ghoulfriend draws hordes of fans wherever she goes, and as long as he's with her, which he hopes is a very long time, they're going to look at him, too. Besides, he's cool and handsome. Why shouldn't they look?

Still, he knows it's Cleo on whom all their eyes are trained. She's gorgeous, extravagant, and superfluous. The babe never uses a single word for what she can exclaim over in several, excited sentences, especially if she can use them to compliment herself. She always dresses to the nines, and gold is as common place on her fine bod as nail polish and makeup is on other ghouls. But these, too, are all things Deuce loves about her. He's used to her ways and proud to call her his ghoul.

He's even grown accustomed to her complaints. He hasn't minded a single lament she's made about having to pick up her own cake, but he did kind of grin earlier when she refused to let him do it for her. She's almost been clinging to him lately after that whole trouble with the Genies, and he loves it.

He doesn't like her being upset though, and he knows the true reason for all her gripes today. Her Mummy and Dad are away, as it almost always is with rich kids like them, and although Cleo's been complaining almost nonstop about having to waste part of her day getting her own birthday cake, he knows what's really bugging her is the fact that her parents chose to be in Egypt today rather than spend time with her. It's a bummer for Cleo, but it's a good thing for him. He knows her parents doesn't like him, and maybe he can get further with their baby girl tonight without their snooping interference.

But his day is quickly turning bad. Like all the other things that come with dating one of the most famous ghouls their age, he's used to guys hitting on his ghoul, but they usually know when to back down. She also rarely gives them the time of day -- it was hard enough for him to win her attention back when they first met --, but she's actually listening to this geek.

Okay, so maybe he's not really that much of a geek. He's not wearing classes, and he is sporting some cool sneakers and shades, though not as cool as Deuce's own. He's also pretty damn certain that the other boy isn't hiding what he hides behind his dark lenses. If he'd been part bull like his friend, Manny Taur, he'd be blowing steam by now.

He strides pass Cleo, having had enough when her laughter rings true at one of the new guy's compliments. He thumbs his chest as he gets in his face. "Find you another ghoul," he demands angrily. "Cleo's mine."

"Oh, boys, don't fight over me!" But Deuce knows she doesn't mean it even as Cleo says the words. She laughs, and his fury builds like a raging, possessive inferno inside of him. "Who am I kidding? Go ahead! There's no better treasure than me!"

"She's right," Deuce admits aloud, but his eyes are still flaring angrily behind his shades at the other guy.

"I know she is, and that's why she's going to leave you and come with me. I can show her what it really means to be loved by the world."

That's it. He's had enough. He's had more than enough out of this creep! Without any further thought, Deuce lowers his shades, revealing his eyes, and zaps the guy to stone. Acting cool and calm, as if nothing out of the normal has happened, he slides his shades back onto the bridge of his nose and securely into place. "If she's seeing the world," he states loud enough for the whole crowd to hear despite the shocked whispers that are running rampant through it now, "she's seeing it with me!"

Cleo latches onto Deuce's arm, the same arm whose hand he used to lower his shades so he could turn his so-called competition into stone, and hugs him. "Of course I'm seeing it with you!" she exclaims, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. He beams, happy and confident in their love again. She's already proved that he's the only one she wants. That's one thing that the Genies were good for, after all. He knows she was devastated when he forgot her because of that spell, but he'll never forget her again -- well, unless another spell forces him to do so. He'll be here for her, and she for him. Their love runs deeper than their actions, deeper than their spoken words, deeper even than any one in the world knows, but one day, they will. One day, they're going to rule as King and Queen, and then nobody will ever again dare dispute his claim on her.

He smiles down at her. "Now let's see about that cake," he comments, but as he steps forward, she holds him even tighter until he reaches down and kisses her lips, claiming her again for himself over all the fans crowding in the mall and hoping to get a glimpse of Cleo de Nile. That's all they'll get, though, -- is a glimpse --, because he's got the real thing, and he's not sharing with any one.

The End