•Author Smimph•

Starco Week - Día Uno

Link - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11681808/32/Dimension-of-Infinite-Tales

“Damn, it’s hard to get to that pathetic princess.” A large brute said.

“Yeah, she’s long due for an initiation, but with her bodyguard agent Diaz around we can’t touch her.”

“Why don’t we shake them up a little then? Scare them a bit.” One of them suggested.

Another smiled. “I like that idea. They won’t know what’s coming.”

“C'mon, Marco! We have math now!” Star urged him as the bell rung, signaling the next period.

Marco winced. “Do we have to go to math? I’m already in a bad mood and I’m not looking forward to making it worse,” he replied.

“Geez, are we sure you’re the one who’s supposed to look after me? We have to go! If you miss class you’ll get detention!” Star exclaimed.

Marco feigned a gasp and shook his head. “No not detention!”

“Diaz, that is extremely rude.” Star seriously replied.

Marco sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Look, you can go without me princess. I don’t want you missing class and getting in trouble, which will inevitably lead to both of us getting into trouble. I’ll show up…later, okay?”

Star frowned before giving him a nod. “Okay. But don’t get in trouble!” She commanded.

Marco waved her off as she ran off to Ms. Skullnick’s room. He sighed and scratched the bandage on his cheek.

Lying down on the hill just far off the school building, Marco was taking a nap; taking in the feel of the grass below him, the air he breathed, and the warmth that coursed through him.

Suddenly he was jarred awake, being shaken by somebody. He grabbed whoever was shaking him by the scruff of their necks and threw them down to the ground, holding a fist near their face.

Marco’s victim shivered in fear until Marco stared at him for a few seconds and gave him a look of confusion. “Ferguson?”

Marco let go of his fellow classmate, standing straight and crossing his arms. “Okay spit it out. Why’d you wake me up?”

“Um, Skullnick asked me to find you and bring you to class.” Ferguson stammered.

Marco frowned and cracked his neck, which was stiff from sleeping. Damn, Skullnick knew he wouldn’t try and beat up Ferg. Being an old friend and pitiful made him more likely to survive with Marco.

He groaned and rolled up the sleeves of his jacket. “Alright, let’s go.” Marco started walking toward his class, before stopping and turning to Ferguson. “You coming or do you want to lie there all day?”

Ferguson scrambled to his feet, following Marco back to class.

“So a derivative is the - Ah, Mr. Diaz. How nice of you to join us for class. 20 minutes late. ” Ms. Skullnick sneered that last part. Marco lacked a reaction.

“As punishment, you’ll be cleaning the storage out back. I hear it’s been years since it’s seen light.” Skullnick said.

Marco rolled his eyes and took his seat by the window, paying more attention to the two squirrels fighting outside than Skullzers at the front of the class.

The bell signaling the end of school rang through the building, Marco groaning at his recent after school punishment.

He packed his things in his bag, making his way to the back of school grounds to clean the storage facility.

He already told Star to wait for him at home, but he could see her in his peripherals, always hiding behind something. He didn’t pay much attention to it, but soon he couldn’t keep up the obliviousness and called her out on her lousy stealth tactics.

“Princess, why are you following me?” Marco deadpanned.

Star jumped. She hadn’t noticed he noticed her. She stepped out from her hiding place, staring at the floor and looking for the right words. “Um…I just thought…maybe, I would help you clean. Less load on you, but if you want me gone, I totally understand-” Star was interrupted by Marco smirking and patting her head affectionately.

“Thanks, prin…Star” Marco corrected himself.

Star blushed and avoided his gaze. Marco rarely ever used her name when he referred to her, but when he did it made her knees buckle.

“Yeah, well, you owe me after this! I want one, no, two more nachos than I’m allowed! And wipe that dumb smirk off your face!” Star exclaimed.

“Um, you never had a limit to what you can eat, princess,” Marco said, beginning to walk away again.

“O-oh. Then I want you to attend every class ON TIME from now on!” Star commanded.

Marco couldn’t really say no. She was already doing this much for him, and with that cute demanding face, it’s hard to refuse.

“Yeah, fine. Whatever. Let’s go.”

Marco and Star made their way to the storage facility, walking up to the metal double doors. Using the key he got from the janitor, he unlocked the doors, pushing them open to reveal a large dusty room, with stuff that looked to be thirty-maybe forty-years old.

“Wow. This looks ancient.” Marco tried to switch on the lights, but due to age and the lack of much-needed renovation of the building, the lights refused to switch on.

“Damnit. Guess we’re going in dark,” Marco said.

Star suddenly seemed very nervous. “Do we have some flashlights or something?” She asked.

“Uh, maybe. Do you need them to see?” Marco asked.

“Y-yeah, right. Well?”

“I don’t have any on me now, but- OOF!” Marco grunted as he and Star were shoved into the building. Landing hard on their sides they heard the click of the lock, along with the footsteps of a few people.

Marco started to pat his body for the keys, only to realize he dropped it when he was shoved. “Stupid bastards…” Marco growled. “Princess, are you-”

Marco stopped and his eyes widened when he felt Star abruptly grab his arm. He narrowed his eyes in concern.

“Uh, princess?” He asked, starting to turn to look at her.

“Stop, don’t look at me. Please. Just, let me do this.” Star said.

Marco frowned, looking forward as Star vice gripped his forearm. He could feel her press up against him, shivering in…fear?

He could feel her heartbeat, and it was pounding pretty fast. Marco thought his own was too. Could she feel it as well?

“Star,” Marco began after a few moments of silence, “are you afraid,”

Star tensed up, and Marco could feel it.

“of the dark?”

Star’s grip suddenly intensified, and Marco could feel all circulating blood stop flowing in his left arm. She was surprisingly strong for such a timid girl.

“Ow! What the fu-!”

“Yes! I’m terrified of the dark! Shut up about it and please do something.” Star said, burying her face into his shoulder.

Marco furrowed his eyebrows together. “Don’t you have your wand?”

Star shook her head. “I…left it…in my locker. I…wanted to show you…I’m capable…without it.” Star took short breaths between each pause, and Marco thought she’d start hyperventilating.

Marco turned around and embraced her, kneeling on the floor. He closed his eyes and began to speak, “Deep breaths, princess. I know you’re capable. You fought monsters with me, a person you’ve never met and was a jerk towards you because you were concerned for me. You went through brainwashing and managed to stay your old self a bit. So prove me right. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m here with you. So calm down, now.” Marco said firmly.

Star’s breaths slowed down, and her tense form eased up a bit. Still hugging Marco, she spoke into his shoulder. “Thanks, Marco. I think I’ve calmed down. But can you just hold on for a little while?” She asked.

Marco tightened his jaw and nodded. “Sure.”

So they sat there. Marco’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness by now, and he could make out a silhouette of a box of props and costumes.

He got an idea of how to distract Star from her fear.

“Okay, Star. Don’t freak out, but I’m gonna let go for a few seconds.”

Star’s eyes widened as she looked up at him. “No, no no no no no no no! Don’t let go! I will throttle you if you do!” She begged,

Marco’s eyebrow lifted at the unexpected threat. “It’s okay, I’m only gonna let go for a few seconds, I’m gonna be back, I promise.” Marco hushed her. “Do you trust me?”

Star wiped her eye and silently nodded. Slowly Marco let go of her. He stood up and began to back away, their arms sliding against one another before it was only their hands connected, then fingers.

Then his warmth left Star, and he blended in with the inky blackness. Damnit! Why must his jacket be black!? Star began to feel alone now, the sense of abandonment creeping up on her for the first time in years. She curled up into a ball and almost began to tear up before Marco’s voice rang out from the darkness.

“I’m still here, princess. I’m still with you.” His assurance gave her courage and she managed to outlast until Marco came back holding a cardboard box. He placed it down in between him and Star before sitting down.

“What’s…what’s that?” Star asked.

“Just something to pass the time.” Marco pulled a couple of sticks from the box and bend them, a cracking noise coming from it.

The sticks suddenly started to glow, and Star stared at them in amazement. “Whoa! Is that more earth magic?” She asked.

Marco smirked at her childlike curiosity. “No, just some old glow sticks to light it up a little.”

He placed down the colorful glowing rods in a circle around the pair, leaving them in a dim, but brighter than before, setting.

Marco reached back into the box. Pulling out a red headband with horns on it, he placed it on his head and put a massive frown on his face.

“I’m Tom. I’m in denial and think l can get Star to like me, but I’m just hopelessly desperate and angry.” Marco mocked.

Star giggled at his impression, his voice not even close to Tom’s.

“Marco, stop, that’s mean.”

He smiled and pushed the box towards her. “Here, you try.”

“Um, I’m not sure…”

“It’s okay princess. Nobody here but us. I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Okay…” Star agreed. She dug into the box and pulled out a wig and a crown. Putting them both on, she then wore a dull, bored expression on her face. “This is of utmost importance! We can’t have this silly nonsense when you’re to be a ruler soon! Blah, blah, rules, rules, boring, discipline.” Star mocked in a mundane, strong accented tone.

Marco laughed and Star smiled.

“Lemme guess, your mom?” Marco asked.

Star nodded, not fully confident in mocking people she knew.

“Okay, my turn,” Marco said, digging through the box.

They went at this for a while, having a good time messing around with each other. They role played Skullnick, their classmates, Ludo, and even each other.

The two rolled around the floor, wheezing after laughing too hard at Star’s impression of Marco’s bad boy attitude. She accidentally cracked her knuckles, and her cute expression of pain made Marco laugh, Star eventually following in suit.

“Oh, man. That was…amazingly horrible.” Marco said.

Star smiled, nodding in agreement.

“So, you still afraid?” Marco asked.

“No, not anymore. Being in the dark isn’t so bad when you have someone to have fun with you here.”

“I don’t think you’re scared of the dark. I think it’s because of your isolation from people and loved ones during your hated experience at St. O’s, it made you feel alone and you were afraid of being lonely. In the dark, you can’t see anything. You feel cold, there’s nobody in sight. It’s like being alone, which may explain why you fear darkness.”

Star tilted her head at Marco’s explanation, a small smile telling him she didn’t understand what the hell he just said.

Marco realized what he was doing and covered his face. “Sorry, that’s Marco PhD talking,” Marco said, angry at himself for showing that part of him again. Why is it around her when his past comes out?

“Don’t be embarrassed. I don’t fully understand what you just said, but-” Star grabbed Marco’s hand, “-I hope you stay with me for now.” Star said.

Marco gulped. He blushed. A very pretty girl just grabbed his hand and pretty much said she wished they could stick together, with him. Marco Flippin Diaz. His blush intensified now that he was analyzing it. Stop thinking about it, Marco mentally scolded himself. Yeah, now he was embarrassed.

“Star, what-”

The sound of jingling keys was heard through the door and was inserted into the lock. Star suddenly stood up. “Help has arrived!” She said.

She eagerly walked forward, forgetting the heavy box between her and Marco. She tripped and fell on top of Marco, making a loud grunt as she did.

The janitor on the other end raised a brow. Since when did storage buildings grunt? He unlocked and opened the door, low and behold Star lying on top of Marco, a bunch of spilled props and costume pieces strewn about the floor.

The janitor gave the two a hard gaze before opening his mouth, “Look, I’m gonna go home and forget this. I’m closing this door and leaving it unlocked. Suggestion, keep your weird lovey-dovey affectionate cosplay sessions at home.” And with that, he slammed the door shut.

Star and Marco scrambled away from each other, faces burning crimson and tension as thick as maple syrup.

They quickly cleaned up in sync and walked out the door.

Awkwardly they turned to each other.

“So, nachos?”

“Yep, lots of nachos.”

“Movie?”

“Movie.”

“…”

“So you wanted two more nachos than usual?”

“Yes.”

“That janitor thing never happened.”

“Agreed.”

The looked at each other once more and started to burst out laughing. Marco wasn’t in a bad mood anymore.

“Let’s get home, princess.”

“Excellent suggestion, Marco!”

Marco then went on to have a bad mood again the next day, when Skullnick harshly reminded him at the volume of 120 decibels that he forgot to actually clean the storage building yesterday.

He should’ve skipped class.