Mindless Indulgence
By ParadiseSong
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Original Idea – "…and why would I waste my time on something like that?"
Duncan's only real intention for signing up to Total Drama Island was to postpone some of the boredom the summer holidays usually brought for him. After, say, ten years of mayhem and destruction the law enforcers of his home town, which amusingly consisted of about six eighths of his family, now placed themselves near all of his favorite hits. At least during school he could have flooded the bathroom a couple of times or spray-painted a few lockers…
To say the least, TDI would give him something to do.
And while throwing his slim amount of belongings into his beat up duffle bag, he suddenly remembered what the summer months brought with the heat… girls…in virtually nothing. This reality show was bound to have rather attractive girls on it and Duncan, being male, was going to want to get his hands (lips, tongue, teeth…) on something. Flings were right up his alley; mindless alcohol induced exchanges of saliva was something he was quite used too. He'd treat her like a piece of meat, gorging himself when he pleased and dumping her at summer's end. She do the same but, end up bragging to her girlfriends' about the guy she had wrapped around her finger and indulged herself on all summer long.
On the other hand, on Courtney's 'To Do' list, a summer romance was as about far up as losing and failing were. Winning was the original and 'only' plan.
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Glance – "I'd rather die."
At first look Courtney, to be blunt, was not impressed with Duncan. She took in the multiple piercings, spiked collar, mohawk and placed him in the category of people she refused to associate with. If she got to close he'd probably end up robbing her or slitting her throat or something…
Duncan took one glance at the girl and realized 'prep' was neatly written across her forehead.
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First Word – "…Shut UP!"
"Whatever you say, Cyclops."
The first time he'd spoken to her.
…and she wanted to punch him.
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Spark – "And it begins."
"Oh and why should I help you, darling?"
"Because if you don't, I can personally guarantee you'll be the one going home, darling."
She was the only girl that had ever talked to him like that he realized as he explained his dodge ball strategy. Usually, girls took one look at him and ran the other way or at least refused to speak.
His eyes flickered over to her as she dodged a ball only to throw one back, nailing a Gopher in the forehead. The mocha haired was nearly screeching with happiness as she gripped another ball to knock out another member of the opposing team. Her onyx suddenly drifted to him, feeling his gaze.
She scowled.
He grinned.
This chick could be interesting.
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Fear – "Did you ever think that I was just humoring you?"
The howl echoed throughout the forest.
And startled Courtney enough so she threw herself into the nearest pair of arms…
Duncan.
Curling against his chest in fright, she never noticed the idiotic expression that passed over his face only to be quickly replaced with a smirk or the thumbs up he exchanged with Geoff.
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Comfort – "…I don't even know why I did that."
The screeching from earlier in the competition seemed to end when Duncan stared helplessly at the cardboard figure of Celine Dion. The desire to comfort him was eerily present as Courtney murmured softly to him. "She's pretty, she's nice…"
His expression grew even more panicked, "That looks really…real, man."
She clutched his hand, squeezing gently, "You can do this…"
He seemed to hear as his gaze rose from their joined hands to her face, "Alright, I'll try…"
As he moved off to wrap his arms around the standee, Courtney wondered briefly before she ran to join him, if he too felt the odd since of rightness when their fingers were twined.
Or any other time they touched.
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Underneath – "…You still don't get it, do you?"
"Wanna makeout?"
Those words usually have one meaning to most people and Courtney was one of those. She gave Duncan a dry look before telling him to knock it off. He grinned again before telling princess which direction to walk who grudgingly followed.
Duncan, on the other hand, knew what was hidden by the suggestive implications of the phrase…
I like you.
It would probably stay hidden underneath for a while.
Until he finally really decided to tell her.
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Denial – "…C'mon, just say it."
"Do you want to be kicked off?!"
"Aw… and here I thought you didn't care about me!"
Courtney looked insulted.
"I don't! I just…don't want to lose because you decided to go all criminal on us!"
As she stalked off to a different part of the mess hall, the delinquent had to laugh. Princess wasn't fooling anyone anymore. Her constant complaining about everything he did and love of the phrase, 'Do you want to leave?!' Only solidified what he already knew.
..She liked him.
If she wasn't in love with him already,
He could just tell.
Like the rest of camp and most of the viewing world.
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Uncaged – "…Honestly, it's like I can get you to do almost anything."
"You wanna ditch this crap for some peanut butter and jam?"
"Yeah! All I've had for two days is this…gruel," She said disgusted, "But Chef will never give it to us."
"See! That's the problem with your thinking!" He moved closer to her face, hitting his fists together in an attempt to further prove his point, "The trick is not to ask!"
Courtney's gaze flickered shyly away from his face, "Do…do you have some on you?"
"No but, I do know were we can get some, it will involve breaking quite a few rules though… are you in?"
She thought for a moment, "Let's do it!"
With her mind made up she gave him a dainty high five.
"All right then!"
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Morning – "Usually, I just roll out of bed."
It was around 5am when Courtney found herself wide awake gazing out across the campground. She was still trying to figure things out, the kiss, Duncan, the unusual attraction to things bad…
"Restless?"
It was Bridgette. Like the CIT, she still was clad in her bed clothes; a simple tank top and cotton shorts.
"Kind of… I'm still thinking about things."
"Duncan?"
Courtney smiled then sighed, "He's part of it…"
Silence, then…
"You really like him don't you?"
"…I can't really say."
Bridgette's warm hazel gaze narrowed with thought, "What's so hard about just admitting to your feelings?"
For the second time Courtney sighed, "That I really can't say."
Bridgette smiled softly.
She always had to be so strong.
So full of pride.
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Evening – "It's a good thing I'm not afraid of the dark."
She was gone.
And the odds were telling him he was never going to see her again.
It was going to be weird having no one screaming at him hysterically…
"You are such an ogre!"
"You're so vile! Do your parents' even like you?!"
"Shut UP!!"
"Duncan!!"
His gaze turned away from the flickering stars above at the sound of footsteps approaching, "What's up?"
"You ok, dude?" Geoff replied.
"Aren't I always?"
Geoff gave a light uneasy grin, "Yeah."
A moment of silence passed.
"…I'd be lying if I said I won't miss her."
Duncan was stubborn and hotheaded too.
So full of pride.
…just not as much.
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Insane – "You did it to me."
As the days passed after Courtney's departure, the former Killer Bass noticed a slight change in their delinquent member's personality. The careless, joking manner he had carried around with him faded into a moody seriousness that could be easily set off. Total Drama Island wasn't just a game to him any more now that he was playing for two.
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Longing – "…Is it wrong to want you beside me?"
Though it was true that Duncan had made a few small passes at Lindsay and occasionally Heather, his mind was always somewhere else. This became brutally apparent when Chris discovered the 'D + C' carving. Or a few days later when a few specific carved trees were stumbled upon.
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Sick – "…I guess I'm drunk on you."
Courtney wasn't one who would claim to be love sick. In fact, she completely denied it. But the happy giggles that left her lips upon hearing Duncan's shout out to her or any other blunt signs of his affections seemed determined to prove her wrong.
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Happy – "Look it, I made you smile."
As soon as he entered the resort he was greeted by Courtney's screeching. He stared down at her numbly as she bellowed at him about male hormones, flings, Heather, cheaters and some other random shit he honestly didn't care about.
When she finally registered that he just didn't care about what she was ranting about, she made a move to turn before an arm slung around her waist. The delinquent brought the CIT back to him in a crushing hug before he silenced her protests with his lips.
She could scream and punch him all she wanted. He was just happy to see her again.
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Fire – "…Just kiss me, we'll talk later."
"...One wrong move and his girlfriend is history." He grinned.
The CIT hadn't the slightest why watching him grin sadistically at someone's problems made her want to throw him to the ground and have her wicked way with the delinquent, but that was the problem with Duncan. He would invoke a fire within her belly and unknowingly tease the flames with every word rolling off his tongue until the inferno licked dangerous at her insides. The only way to smother (or build) the heat was to kiss him Courtney discovered as she grabbed him by his collar forcing him to her level.
"You're still not my type."
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Goodbye? – "We'll still be connected somehow…"
The time had finally come for the campers to go their separate ways and oddly enough most of the teens were reluctant to say farewell. Duncan was one of these, though there were some he couldn't wait never to see again while others… he really wished goodbye wasn't an option.
He and Courtney stood side by side as they watched another boat come to take another camper. The captain's voice came through the window as he yelled. "Courtney Dale!"
"Me…" The CIT murmured as her grip tightened on her suitcase. She glanced at the remaining TDI contestants before gazing at the delinquent she grown hopelessly attached too. He seemed at bit lost as she smiled softly at him before turning quickly on her heel.
The CIT paused at the ship's railing. A few knowing people in the watching crowd smiled as Courtney flung her bag aboard the boat, yelling a defiant "Screw it!" before darting back down the dock. She stopped in front of Duncan, unsure of what she had to come back for.
"Princess?"
After a moment of awkwardness Courtney finally spoke, her voice thick with the one thing she had been denying for weeks now.
"I'll miss you, ok, I'll miss you." She spluttered, heat staining her face.
He blinked before a grin spread across his face. His hand cupped her chin, raising her face to his. "Me too, babe, me too,"
The kiss was fast and soft but, meaningful enough to unnerve the girl for a moment. She gazed at him with half-hooded onyx eyes, hoping the pressure burning behind them wouldn't cascade down her cheeks. "I guess this is goodbye then, huh?"
"Only if you want it to be."
She seemed to be confused before he rolled his eyes like what he was about to tell her was painfully obvious. "The skull, Courtney…"
She dug the carved object out of her pocket, staring at intently. "Duncan, what does-?"
"Flip it."
She obliged.
Duncan grinned as a smile spread over his CIT's face.
"Your number?"
"Damn straight."
A/N: I won't bother telling you how much I hate this. Stupid twitchy, choppy drabbles…
Read, review & no flames.
I hope you enjoyed if you could.
- Paradise