Crossovers that should never be, part 1!

"D'you think they'll be okay together?" Marcus looked anxiously over Blaine's shoulder at the two girls playing beneath the trees. "Amata hasn't exactly had what you might call a...normal upbringing."

Blaine slumped down on the bench and covered his face with his hand. "Well, I don't know, Marcus. Birdie plays with knives and dreams of growing up to be a mass murderer some day."

"I think 'Mata is the reincarnated soul of my brother," Marcus said somberly, eyes wide. "Also, she can set things on fire with her mind."

"I think they'll get along just fine." Blaine gestured to the chessboard between them without removing his hand from his face. "It's your move, Your Grace."

"We never really used titles like that," Marcus muttered. He peered at the chessboard, eyebrows swooping together. The tiny bells hanging from his eyebrow rings jingled. "I was always just 'High Priest,' generally...sometimes 'Lord of the Seventh Hour,' if people were being really formal. You know, I think you're going to win this one." He moved a bishop, and raised an eyebrow with a faint chime.

Blaine looked down at the board, then at Marcus, then back down at the board. "I think you might be right." His mouth quirked to the side, an almost smile. "I thought you were some sort of warlord? Master tactician and strategist, that sort of thing?" He was getting that uncomfortable, itchy sensation in the back of his head that meant he was probably being flirted with. He hated that feeling.

"I...I was, once. I think." His eyes went slightly out of focus. "You start to...lose track of the details, after the first dozen lifetimes or so."

"Hm. I wouldn't know." He moved one of his knights, capturing a rook and cutting off Marcus's bishop. Marcus's well meaning glances were making him twitch; he took out his wallet and started rolling a cigarette.

Marcus stared at the board, frowning again. "I'm usually better at this, really." He glanced up as Blaine began rummaging through his pockets for a match or a lighter. "Here, let me." He held out his hand, offering a flame on the tip of his finger.

Blaine froze, staring at Marcus's hand. This was really not his area of expertise. Images of Greymalkin flashed through his head. "I-"

Behind him, a tree exploded. He dropped his unlit cigarette and vaulted over the back of the bench, heading towards the sound of hysterical giggling at the center of the smoke. Marcus was right behind him.

He was never more thankful for Foxbird's ability to get into trouble.

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Ahahaha, I just remembered Marcus was full of ridiculous body mods as well. WHAT, ME, PREDICTABLE? NEVER. He's only got a bunch of ear and eyebrow piercings, though.

It's just- they're both single fathers, their kids are redheaded prodigies, and they're high priests of corrupt religious orders.

Blaine gets so uncomfortable when people act like they're attracted to him, it's hilarious. The more hilarious part is that Blaine really isn't Marcus's type- but Marcus gets attached to anybody who seems to have thier shit together.

Heh. Stay tuned for CTSNB part 2- Boffo vs Toggle: When Stupid Acronyms Attack!