Always the fool

“Well look what finally decided to crawl out of bed.” Sarella spoke, eyes not leaving the paper she read, coffee held in her hand, as she sat at the table. Buck muttered something incomprehensible as he moved towards the empty chair across from her, grabbing the mug from her hand and taking a hefty sip. “That’s mine you daft furry oaf! Get your own!” she said, stealing her cup back from Buck’s hand, his empty fingers drumming rhythmically on the table in frustration. “Well, aren’t WE the sweetheart…” he sneered, rising from his chair to pour himself a cup of coffee and grab a pastry from the inn’s breakfast table.

“You look like hell by the way.” She added. He simply glared at her with his good eye as he ate. “Most folks ah know are chipper the next morning after they get laid.” Buck set his mug down mid-sip. “Now how would YOU know what I did last night?”

“I was going to bring you something to eat, but apparently you found something to nibble on.” She said coldly.

“If you must know, I got shitfaced last night. She was an ex-guildie of mine who had the hots for me and couldn’t pass a chance to jump my bones. I was just too wasted to stop her.”

“You didn’t look to be tryin’ too hard.”

Buck leaned in close to her, his eye wide and fixated on hers. “Why do you care?” Sarella’s cheeks flushed a little and she broke his gaze. “Ah don’t.”

“Bull. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t have brought it up, and you wouldn’t be acting this way. I’ll ask again, why do you care?”

“Ah….Ah just don’t want to see you gettin’ hurt again. S’all. I already patched you up once from some floozy, don’t want to be doin’ it again!”

Buck sat back in his chair, one hand stroking his beard as the other brought the cup to his lips. A smile came over him as he sipped, his eye focused completely on Sarella. “Sure thing peaches.” He said.

Word had reached Booty Bay by lunch time; Buck heard it about twenty minutes later.

“Some orc is cleaning house in the arena! He’s taking on all comers! Killed 5 guys so far! Even killed two hordies!” the gnome chirped, almost dancing with excitement. His human colleague listened on with interest.

Buck stood at the rail to the dirt arena floor, his eye focused on the two men scuffling below. A male night elf fell to the ground with a thud, the force of the blow making him roll a few times. He rose wearily to face his attacker. They collided again, their skills were impressive, blades flashed in the sunlight as their deadly dance continued. The kaldorei cried out as two sharp daggers sunk deep into his back, his attacker removed one and in a flash, slit the night elf’s throat with it. A cry of shock coming from the crowd as a cloud of crimson spewed from the wound. He collapsed to the ground and his face was ground into the dirt by the boot of his killer. With a roar of fury, he relished in his victory.

“Victorious again! Can no man stop this machine of death? Does anyone DARE stand before the ‘Destroyer from Durotar’? Does anyone have the GUTS to take on this Duke of the daggers?” the announcer shouted.

As if in response to his taunts, a heavy form hit the floor of the arena. Standing upright, Buck threw back his cloak, teeth clinched in anger, his eye burning with hate as he unslung his axe. Sarella leaned over the rail and shouted “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Buck merely threw his hand back in her face and stalked across the arena. The orc was still playing to the crowd as Buck closed in, oblivious to the tauren with hostile intent. It was when he finally turned to face him that the smile of jubilation from his victory faded into a look of shock.

“No! You’re fuckin dead!” the orc spewed in disbelief.

“No Jaggen, YOU’RE fuckin dead! You made a big mistake when you got involved with my wife; you made a bigger one when you left me for dead!”

Jaggen shook off the fear and spoke. “What makes you think you have a chance against me?! I’ve killed more people than the plague! You just got lucky! I’ll ‘finish the job’ this time.”

Buck shook his head. “No. Not this time, because unlike last time Jaggen, she isn’t here to save your worthless hide.”

“I don’t need your whore of a wife to save me from a worthless one eyed tauren!” Jaggen barked, lunging through the air, catching Buck by surprise. They fell to the dirt where Jaggen raised his daggers high above his head, thrusting them down at Buck, who caught his wrists. They struggled for control as Buck brought his right leg up between them, and placing his foot into Jaggen’s stomach, sent the orc flying. Jaggen landed heavily on his neck, but rolled through and stood on shaky legs as he watched Buck close distance. The tauren swiped at Jaggen’s head full force with his axe, but the orc was too quick and ducked the blow, and leapt forward, slicing the side of Buck’s calf as he lunged. The tauren fell to his knee, howling in pain. Jaggen meanwhile tumbled through his lunge and spun, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to Buck’s back, but Buck was no greenhorn, he knew what was coming and twisted his body, firing a kick to the side of Jaggen’s head, a jarred tooth flew from the orc’s mouth, earning an appreciative cheer from the audience. Buck gripped the orc by the collar of his armor and delivered a hard right hand to the face, the orc’s eyes lolling back into his head a bit, two more hits and the orc was barely coherent.

“You got one chance Jaggen, just one, tell me where she is and I leave you as you left me, instead of makin sure you end up a pile of raptor shit in the jungle!”

“F-f-fuck you Buck!”

WAM! The punch opened up Jaggen’s eyebrow, blood ran freely into his eye, he grunted and sputtered.

“Wrong answer. Last chance. And if you think I’m bluffing…” Buck gripped Jaggen’s left wrist and with a twist, broke the orc’s arm. Jaggen screamed, eyes wide with fear as he stared into Buck’s cold gaze.

“S-s-she ditched me a week ago. That’s one crazy bitch you got mixed up with. She flew off the handle at me about some random shit, called me a limp dick faggot and took off!”

“Where?”

“I don’t know! She didn’t say! And I didn’t fucking care! I was glad to see her go, she was fucking nuts! Stupid crazy whore did nothing but whine and complain!”

“Jaggen?”

“What?! I told you everything!”

“Don’t talk about my wife like that…” Buck grabbed the orc’s head and with clinched teeth, snapped the orc’s neck. Jaggen’s body twitched a few times and went limp. Buck rose to his feet and limped towards the exit.

“We have a winner! Jaggen’s streak has come to an end, and WHAT an end it was!” The announcer cheered. “What do you say pal? You up for another round?”

Buck just shook his head. “I retire”

Sarella was there to meet him at the entrance. “Ya daft fool of a cow! You coulda been killed! What did you go and do that for?!”

“You sound like my mother!” Buck shouted, Sarella recoiled, a look of hurt on her face. Buck softened a bit. “Look, that was the guy who I caught with my wife, the one who helped her kick the shit out of me.” Sarella nodded. “Now how about instead of chastising me like a little boy, you help me out here?” Sarella smiled and slung Buck’s arm over her neck and helped support him as they walked back to Booty Bay.

“Goddammit that hurts!” Buck screamed at Sarella as she stitched up his leg.

“Quit whining you big ape! If you’d just stop looking for trouble this never woulda happened!” Buck just tossed a pillow at her smiling face and winced as she continued. “There! All done! You can stop crying now you baby.”

“I’m not a baby!” Buck protested as she pulled the covers over him, placing a light kiss on his forehead. “Why you so nice to me?”

“I dunno.” She shrugged. “Just something about you brings out my charitable side.”

“Why couldn’t I have met you six years ago?” he muttered. “You’re the only woman I ever met that’s treated me good. Every other one’s tried to kill me or just use me…”

“Awww, aren’t you the sweetheart.” She mocked with a smile, stroking his neck as they locked eyes, a hint of moisture in Buck’s. “Get some rest Buck.” She said, beginning to rise off the bed, when Buck grabbed her gently with both arms.

“Please don’t go…” he spoke, barely above a whisper. “….please…”

Sarella stroked his face. “What am I going to do with you? No funny business now!” she warned tapping his snout, then reached over and turned off the lamp.