For Tarotgal

[Bongo]

Title: For Tarotgal

Fandom: Cruel Intentions

Disclaimer: I don’t own Cruel Intentions, I’m nit nearly that twisted.

Summary: Saying too much would give the entire plot away. Basically, Sebastian and Kathryn visit Sebastian’s Aunt Helen while Annette is living with her.

Setting: I’m not quite sure how to describe the setting. This takes place toward the beginning. Remember when Sebastian goes to visit Helen’s estate to see Annette and she’s on the horse? This takes place a little after that, but before they fall madly in love.

Rating: PG-13. This is Cruel Intentions, so there has to be a ridiculous amount of bad language and sex references. It comes with the turf.

A/N: When Kathryn refers to Annette as a different name, it’s not a mistake. It’s an allusion, and I did it intentionally. See if you can figure out why.

A/N 2: I'm not thrilled with the ending, but I couldn't think of any other way to end it.

Kathryn Merteuil never enjoyed watching storms. They were always too loud for her liking. She much preferred subtle things, like fog, or drizzle. Today however, she was having a grand time watching the thunderstorm raging outside her penthouse window, and she had no idea why. Maybe it’s because she enjoyed the destruction it was causing, like the tree that had already fallen down across the street. Maybe her tastes were just maturing and she could watch it without feeling it was too over the top. Or maybe it was just because she reveled in the fact that her step-brother Sebastian was out in that weather.

The last reason was definitely the cause, she decided, when she heard familiar footsteps approaching the door and she lost all interest in the weather. Instead, she turned all her attention to Sebastian as he stormed in the room and threw himself on the couch in an unusually undignified way. “Where have you been?” she asked with an expression that clearly said she didn’t care where the hell he’d been.

“Doing stuff,” he answered curtly.

“What’s her name?” Kathryn quipped

“Miranda.” He held up a piece of notebook paper, damp from being in the pocket of his wet jacket, but clearly bearing a name and phone number in what appeared to be red lipstick. “Sweet girl,” he told her, “fine ass. But halfway through…stuff, I started sneezing, and she freaked out and tried to convince me to let her make me chicken soup.”

He rolled his eyes, “I hate the mothering types. Such a waste of a hot body and a good fuck.”

“You started sneezing during sex?” Kathryn smirked. “I always knew there was something off about you Valmont.”

He sat up and glared at her. “I’m not allergic to girls, if that’s what you’re implying. For your information, I think I’m coming down with a cold. I’ve felt like shit all day.” He accented his point by putting his hands over his face prayer-style and stifling two sneezes. “Haa-ksssh! HA-kassh!”

“You can feel like shit later,” Kathryn told him, “but we’re due at your aunt’s in at 6 and I’d rater you weren’t sneezing through dinner.”

“That’s tonight?” he groaned, “I completely forgot! And Annette’s going to be there. I can’t have her see me Like this!”

“I take it Mary’s not the mothering type?” Kathryn commented. “How ironic.”

“If we don’t have to be there until six, and that’s not for an hour, then I’ve got time for a hot shower and change of clothes.”

“Are you delirious?” Kathryn asked from the chair she was draped over.

Sebastian put his hand on his forehead, checking for fever. “I don’t think so,” he answered, “why? Did I say something remarkably stupid?”

Kathryn smiled at him. “She lives an hour away if there’s no traffic and perfect driving conditions.” She glanced back out the window before continuing. “I’d say if we leave now we’ll only be half an hour late. And we know how Helen hates lateness.” She stood up and headed for the door, motioning for Sebastian to follow her.

Sebastian looked like he was going to argue with her. Then he cupped his hands in front of his face and sneezed again. “HaTchoo!” This one was unstifled, a sure sign he was getting worse. Then he simply shrugged and followed Kathryn out the door.

**********

They arrived at the Rosemond estate at a quarter to seven. The matriarch of the house was waiting for them at the front door, arms crossed. “You’re late,” she accused as they pulled up in Sebastian’s 1956 Jaguar.

“We’re not late,” Sebastian told her as he held open the passenger side door for Kathryn. “You told us to be here at seven sharp.” He checked his watch. “It’s only a quarter to. We’re early.”

Helen looked confused. “Are you sure?” she asked. Sebastian nodded. “That’s odd. I could have sworn I told you six. Oh well, dinner’s on the table and getting cold. We should go eat.”

Sebastian and Kathryn followed her into the mansion. Annette was already sitting at the large rosewood tale, which was adorned with mashed potatoes, roast beef, assorted vegetables, and buttery roles. Sebastian took his place next to his aunt, and Kathryn sat down across the table next to Annette. Sebastian couldn’t help but be stricken by how different they were. Annette’s blond hair framed her angelic face and lightly brushed her baby blue sweater. Kathryn’s dark hair matched her black clothes and even darker soul. Their smiles were both the same, happy and carefree, but Sebastian cold tell clear as day that Annette’s was the only one sincere.

Kathryn helped herself to some vegetables and, after graciously thanking Helen for inviting them to enjoy a meal with her, began eating slowly and politely, as a well brought up woman should. Annette was scooping up her mashed potatoes with ease and putting it in her mouth, all the while carrying on a friendly conversation with Helen across the table. Sebastian was ripping up a roll methodically, steadily making his way through glass after glass after water, and watching the girls eat.

“May I be excused?” he asked about ten minutes into the meal, standing up and heading to the bathroom. He heard Helen consent him, but it didn’t matter; he had to go whether she allowed him or not. His nose had been itching since they’d sat down to their meal, and he’d been slowly losing any tolerance he had. Once in the bathroom, he pulled the handkerchief he was very glad he had thought to bring out of his pocket and pressed it to his face just in time to muffle three wrenching sneezes. “Hetchoo! Etchaoo! HaTchoo!”

He lowered the handkerchief and stood silently for a minute to make sure no one had heard him. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he put the black cloth in his pocket and went back to the table.

His nose behaved for only about five minutes this time, but he knew it would be suspicious if he went to the bathroom again this soon. He wriggled his nose around in an attempt to dislodge the annoying sensation. All he managed to do was make it worse. His eyes began tearing slightly, not enough to look like he was crying, but enough to not realize Annette was watching his until se asked “are you alright?” in a concerned voice. Apparently he’d been making extraordinary expressions in his discomfort.

Slightly embarrassed, he made a strangled excuse and stood up from the table again, breaking into a run once he was sure he was out of eyesight. He slammed the bathroom door shut, and barley had time to pull the handkerchief from his pocket before he launched into a sneezing fit. He groaned once he was finished, and blew his nose thoroughly before returning to the table in hopes that it would keep his impending illness at bay for longer.

It didn’t. He sighed in exasperation when his nose began itching only a few minutes after he had tended to it the second time. This time though, his throat decided to join in on the action, and he knew that if he tried to talk his voice would be scratchy and give him away.

He tried to exit the table subtly without saying something, but Annette caught him. “You can’t possibly be going to the bathroom again,” she admonished.

“Yes Sebastian,” Kathryn agreed with a slight smile he could clearly read, “do stay. It’s almost like you don’t enjoy our company.”

Helen gave Sebastian a curious look as he sat back down, and he gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m sorry ladies,” he said, trying not to cringe as the words scraped his sore throat coming out. “I’ve just been drinking a lot of water.

“Too much water is bad for you, you know,” Kathryn told him. She reached across the table and pulled his glass away. “I think you’ve reached your limit.”

He glared at her for a second, then immediately switched his expression to a grateful smile when Annette glance at is curiously. “Thank you Kathryn,” he said, rubbing his nose roughly when everyone was looking other ways again.

The seconds ticked by slowly to Sebastian as the bothersome tickle in his nose increased with each one. Eventually, he realize, he was going to sneeze despite his best efforts, so it may as well be on his terms. “Excuse me,” he muttered politely, pulling his handkerchief out of his pocket. He covered the lower potion of his face with it, and sneezed “HaAchoo!”

“God bless you,” Annette said brightly.

He couldn’t respond just then because he wasn’t quite finished sneezing. He left the black piece of fabric in front of his face, breathing shallowly. He knew another sneeze or two was inevitable, and he probably looked ridiculous, so leaving it there was the only option.

The itch finally increased enough to give him relief. “Hetchoo! KaAtchh!”

“Bless you again ,” Annette exclaimed when he was finished. “Are you alright?”

“I’m just fine,” he assured her, though his hoarse voice gave little credence to his words, as did the coughing fit that wracked his lithe frame afterward. Annette raised her eyebrows, looking skeptic.

“Fine?” she repeated. “You’re sneezing and coughing and basically sound like a Sudafed ad gone horribly wrong. You’re clearly sick.”

“It’s just a cold,” he told her, fighting the blush that threatened to creep onto his face as she caught into his little problem. Upon his admittance, Helen immediately hustled into the kitchen to instruct the hired help to fetch a thermometer and do other various things, leaving the three teens in the dining room.

Annette took the opportunity to round in on Kathryn. “And you!” she accused, “you let him come to dinner when you knew he was sick. What kind of sister are you?”

“Step,” Kathryn answered, “and what makes you think I knew? I was just in the dark as the rest of you.” She smiled at the blonde’s faltering anger. “I guess our little Sebastian’s just too macho for his own good.”

“I guess,” Annette agreed unwillingly. “you really should have said something sooner,” she told Sebastian.

“And miss this?” he rasped, “never!” He gave Annette his winning smile, which faltered quickly as he bent forward at the waist with another “ETCHOO!”, this one louder than the others and forcing him into another coughing spasm, letting Annette know he was feeling a lot worse then he was letting on.

She laid her soft hand against his pale forehead. “You’re running a slight fever,” she announced. “I’m going to make you some chicken noodle soup, old family recipe It‘ll knock the cold right out of you,” she promised.

“You’re just going to let her do that?” Kathryn wonder loud once they were alone. “I thought you hate the mothering types.”

“I do,” he assured her. “But if I refuse her help she may be less inclined to help me hold up my end of the bargain.”

“I see. Making soup is her way of saying ‘Sebastian, please fuck me.’”

He smiled at her. “Exactly.” Then he sneezed again and, with no warning, had no time to pull his handkerchief out.

“Thank you Sebastian,” Kathryn snarled, “I’ve always wanted someone to sneeze all over my dinner.”

“I’m sorry,” he apologized.

“Sebastian?” Annette called from the kitchen. He got up and followed her voice to find her chopping peppers while a pot of broth simmered on the stove. “I want you to go lie down.”

“my bed is regrettably some miles away,” he informed her.

“Then go conk out on the couch. No one will bother you.”

He was about to do as she said, because he really was feeling more poorly then he was letting on, but his nose seized again before he reached the door. “HeEtchoo!”

“On second thought,” Annette amended, “you can go rest in my bed.”

Sebastian nodded, and Annette went back to her cooking, dumping the freshly sliced peppers into the pot. Sebastian went through the dining room to get to the suite where the bedrooms were. “I’ll say one thing about this fucking cold,” he told Kathryn as he passed her, “it got me in her bed.”

[jpeach]

really lovely!! great job!

--jpeach

[tma]

WOW!!!

I loved this. I've only seen bits of the movie, but I've seen "Valmont", and "Dangerous Leasions" so I definately know the story line.

This is Terrific- I feel like it is SO in character and just fits. I Loved the dialogue between Sabastian and his step-sister.

Thank you SO much for sharing this!!

[Sneesee]

This was so awesome! I have never seen that movie, but I enjoyed this little piece very much.

And I had to laugh at the whole soup/fuck me line, because I had a discussion last week with a fellow associate at work about that. We were discussing my friend Head Cashier's cold, and I let on to this other guy, Drew, that I had that nurturing weakness when guys were sick. Then Drew overheard my conversation on my cell phone to Head Cashier, and he heard me ask if Head Cashier wanted me to bring over some chicken soup. Drew looked at me, smirked, and said, "Oh, is that what you call it these days? I think I need some chicken soup, too."

Anyway, terrific job, symphonyflute! Thanks for sharing!

[vignette]

That was wonderful - Sebastian is so sexy anyway, and sneezy!Sebastian is about a million times better. I love Cruel Intentions (and all other 'Les Liaisons Dangereuse' related films for that matter) and I think you wrote the characters really well. Especially the part about Sebastians cold getting him into Annette's bed... Thanks so much for posting this - I really enjoyed it!

[tma]

I commented on the other board but I wanted to say something here as well. This is fabulous. The tone of the characters seems Dead on and the ending is brilliant.

Thank you for sharing a "new" sf fandom and doing it in such a wonderful way.

[Bongo]

I commented on the other board but I wanted to say something here as well. This is fabulous. The tone of the characters seems Dead on and the ending is brilliant.

Thank you for sharing a "new" sf fandom and doing it in such a wonderful way.

Um, actually you just commented on this board twice. Not that I mind though, twice the love.

I'm glad you like it.

[tma]

*blush* I'm such a dork I knew that I saw it both places and I really liked it and I thought that I wrote on the other one. lol! Well... I'm very glad that you like the extra love!

Oh... and I think that you are doing fics for people- that is SO awesome. I really admire that.

[Bongo]

*blush* I'm such a dork I knew that I saw it both places and I really liked it and I thought that I wrote on the other one. lol! Well... I'm very glad that you like the extra love!

Oh... and I think that you are doing fics for people- that is SO awesome. I really admire that.

Thank you! I always feel wierd about requesting fics, so I figured a lot of people would too. So if I just invited them to, it'd be better for everyone. I wanted to write things people would know.

I have take a tiny break from writing them to do one for the 132 lj challenge, then one I promised in return for doing a LOST one for me. Then I'm writing a Chase one. Just double-checking, you're all for the Chase-angst, yeah?

[tma]

Oh yeah!! I'm ALL about the Chase angst. *grins* Any pairing or no pairing- Chase angst is great. There is so much material between mum issues, father issues, spiritual angst, etc, etc.... makes for lots of fun.

Oh... what emotion are you working on for the 132 challenge??

[Bongo]

Oh yeah!! I'm ALL about the Chase angst. *grins* Any pairing or no pairing- Chase angst is great. There is so much material between mum issues, father issues, spiritual angst, etc, etc.... makes for lots of fun.

Oh... what emotion are you working on for the 132 challenge??

Groggy. Though when I was writing it, every plot detail I had in my head vanished and it was very difficult. It's posted if you want to go laugh at me.

[Cauldwell]

Great story!

I always wished there had been a "cold scene" in cruel intentions.........Yay Symphonyflute!

[peach2218]

Brilliant! That was exceptional! You are a fabulous writer!