Dormer Academy

((I hadn't even seen your post, just Primal's :( weird...))


Izzy was still fussing with her now much-shorter hair when there was a knock at the door, causing her to jump slightly. Her arms had broken out in goosebumps and there was a faint hint of black in her eyes as she turned away from the mirror. She had been so caught up in fussing with herself that she hadn't sensed anyone approaching and couldn't make a scent through the heavy front door. Swallowing hard, Izzy pushed a strand of hair behind one ear and unlocked the door, breathing a little easier when she realized it was Faith who stood behind it. "Hey...come on in..." she stepped back, ignoring the looks her friend was giving her and allowed her to step inside.


She was just about to relock the door when another knock sounded, only this time it was Sheena and she moved away to let her cousin come in as well. "You're both here at the same time...is everything alright?"


----------------------------------------------


Bucky tossed his head back and chuckled softly. "Oh, it's alright love...I have two sisters myself...I know all about being the protective brother and all that...he has nothing to worry about though, I promise..."


Looking down at her, he smiled widely. "So, what is your next class?" he tried to sound casual when he asked. The last thing he wanted was her to feel like he was stalking her or anything, but seeing how this was the first day that the two of them were actually speaking, he wanted to take full advantage of it and try to get to know her as much as possible.
 
The look that Faith was giving Izzy as she answered the door could more accurately be described as a stare. She doesn't bother to conceal it as she steps inside the door, eyebrows raised.


"So what's with the Winona Ryder look, Lupa?" she asked bluntly, reaching out to finger the ends of the cut. "Last time I looked you had hair, now all of a sudden you don't...well on the plus side, it'll be that much easier not to mistake you for Sheena, right?"


As if on cue, Sheena knocked on the door shortly after saying as much. When Izzy let her in, Sheena too was blinking at her in surprise.


"You cut your hair," she pointed out, as if Izzy didn't in fact know this. "What for?"


"Mystery not yet resolved," Faith commented, gesturing to Izzy's head again. "So was this a "it's almost spring and my hair is hot," a "I'm feeling wild and impulsive, so let's play with scissors," a "Liza stuck bubble gum in my hair and this was the last resort," or a "I'm in the grips of despair so feel the need to shorn my tresses Greek-style" kind of gesture we're looking at here?"


Her tone is light, but her question is mostly serious.


**


"Um, academic stuff," Katarina muttered, blushing at having to admit this. It not only made him more aware that she was still in high school, technically, but also was yet another class she couldn't claim excellence in. "I didn't really want to take them but apparently they're required if you're under 20, or something... even though Faith says she dropped out of high school, so I don't really know why..."


Trying to change the subject, she runs a nervous hand through her hair. "So...two sisters? So there's three of you? There was three of us two..."
 
(moving on)


*Heading back to the main campus, Mac disappointed in his first day of class but isn't letting it get him to down, he decided to check in on Liza and Master Stick but neither of them were at the spot Stick likes to train her, it's nothing to be concern about Liza is perfectly safe here on campus and Stick is just old and probably being his grumpy self to some poor students. Still where was everyone? He closed his eyes and focused on everyone. Jirro and Alex still out at his class, Liza, Faith, Izzy and her little pup friend Bucky were all in one of the training room, Master Stick however was no longer on this plane, he probably returned home to his family.


He was curious to see why everyone centered around Faith and Liza's location, concentrating on them both he teleports straight into the room floating above the floor a few feet before slowly lowering himself down.* You're all having a party and didn't invite me?
 
(Liza isn't there, and neither is Bucky, just Izzy, Faith, and Sheena lol)


As Macal teleports in, Sheena jumps, then grins, backing off to give him space to come down to the ground. Faith, however, crosses her arms and gives him an exasperated looking, turning to shake her head at Sheena as well.


"I swear, you guys are so friggin' nosy, no such thing as dropping in on someone privately without the whole troop coming through too. Look, I'm all for parties but I sort of had a question and it's not the kind you ask with the entire family standing around, okay? So...is there a way I can nicely say "beat it" without actually having to figure out a nice way to say it?"


"Not really," Sheena informed her, and Faith smirked at her, giving her a shove on the shoulder.


"Well then I'll just say it in the usual rude way. Beat it, guys, come back in like twenty minutes if you have to."
 
(( "her little pup friend'?????? And they're all in the Mochizuki suite. not the training room))


Running her hands self-consciously through her hair, Izzy played with the shorter tips and shrugged, rolling her shoulders back as she stood up a bit straighter, returning the looks from Sheena and Faith. "I like it..." she offered simply before rolling her eyes slightly. "And I look nothing like that Ryder chick..."


It didn't bother her when Macal suddenly appeared and she offered him a tiny smile before looking back at the other two women in the room. "I cut my hair...what's the big deal?"


angelina-jolie-short-hair.jpg



------------------------------------------


Bucky took Kat's nervousness around him as a good sign. It meant that she liked him, or so he hoped.


"Well," he finally answered softly. "-they're not really my sisters...you know Izzy, right? Well she has an older sister, Elizabeth...and their dad adopted me, well actually he justtook me in really...but anyways, the tree of us sort of grew up together, so we're family...it's always been us. Elizabeth went away, and then it was just me and Iz...so I kinda get the whole protecting your family thing..." he paused then shrugged, offering her another smile. "It's good, that he looks out for you, that's how family should be..."
 
Faith looks Izzy up and down critically, assessing the validity of her countering statement before nodding. "Yeah, you're right. Bigger boobs, bigger lips, too much of an Amazon...now if Sheena Legs here cut her hair, it would be a closer fit, at least as far as the boob department goes-"


"Hey!" Sheena elbowed her in the ribs, though she was trying not to smile. But Faith has already refocused her attention on Izzy's hair as she shrugs again.


"Yeah, well, you didn't answer my question about which category the hair cutting fits under, because that sorta determines if it's a big deal or not. If it's the Britney Spears wacky kind, that's an issue...there's probably too much of it for that though, you'd be using, like, gardening shears or something. Do we have gardening sheers?"


**


Oh...so then Bucky didn't have "real" sisters then. Izzy was older than him though, right? And Elizabeth was older than her, he had said...how old did this make Bucky?


It didn't seem wise to ask and have him then ask her how old she was in turn, so Katarina avoided that, talking about Adrian instead.


"Yeah, he's just...too much, you know? I mean, I'm old enough to be able to make decisions for myself, and even if I wasn't, we're the same age, so..." she shrugs, exhaling, and looks away from him. "I know I've made some bad decisions...there's been things I've done that worried him, so I guess I understand, but still..."


Yeah, way to impress this guy, Kat. Now he'll want to know what bad decisions and what makes him think he can't trust you to make better ones, and then what will he think of you?


"I mean, that's not all, we had another sister too, and with what happened-" she started, trying to detract from speaking of just herself and her failings, but this was a topic that was hard too. How could she talk about Alice to a guy she barely knew, when she could hardly talk about her to Adrian anymore? And what would he think of them, if he knew Adrian was the one who had accidentally killed her?


Biting her lower lip, she takes in another breath, trying again. "I mean, I guess...that I get it."
 
Nick worked hard, trying not to let herself get discouraged when Liza started lifting weights as well, she seemed to be a very determined girl, and once they were done and all dismissed she went over to pick up Donnie. She looked a little tired since it was more than she was used to doing, having never tried lifting weights before coming to the Academy, but she seemed to be in good spirits, she smiled as she headed outside, she knew that she didn't have long before having to head off to her next class, but she wanted to be able to enjoy some sunshine first. She looked around, the sunlight glinting off of her long silver hair, she smiled and held Donnie close to her chest, her sapphire eyes seemed to have a sparkle to them as if she knew something that others didn't and she loved the thought. She gave a small laugh before taking off running, actually wanting to be a child for once, and to have some fun.


As she ran, she suddenly tripped over something and went flying a short distance before sprawling on the ground. "Ow..." she groaned as she slowly pushed herself up and glanced around for Donnie. She slowly moved to pick him up, it seemed as if maybe she was just a bit too tired to be running, and now her body ached from the fall. She slowly stood up, wondering if anyone saw her fall.


Ezra didn't head outside like Nick did, instead he decided to wander around the school so that he could get more used to it and find things better. He walked along without really seeming to care about the looks that some of the other students gave him when he walked through things, though he did try to avoid accidentally walking through people. After a while he seemed to be more lost in thought than actually paying attention to looking around and learning the place.
 
Izzy could feel her cheeks warming slightly and she had to bite down hard on the inside of one of them to keep herself from bursting out. What did it matter why she cut her hair, it was after all, her hair. The way the two of them were staring at her was making her already regret her hasty decision. Glancing away, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror again and smiled softly, more to herself then any one else. She liked how it looked. It made her look younger, her face less sunken in from the stress of everything she had gone through. What did it matter why she did it, it was done...over with, not like she could take it back even if she wanted to...


Squaring her shoulders back, she looked back at Faith and just shrugged again. "I needed a change...if you really miss my long hair, well..." she looked down and kicked some of the chunks of hair that laid scattered across the floor from her hasty cutting. "There's plenty of it to go around..." she tried not to burst out laughing at this.


Her features softened slightly and she sighed, leaning back against the wall behind her. "Look...this isn't anything you guys have to read into...honest..." she looked from Faith to Sheena, then at Macal and back at Faith again. "I get how you guys have been tip-toeing around me the last few months...but I'm fine...all the bad stuff? I'm passed it. I just wanted to get rid of all of that..." she moved a hand in front of her hand as if swatting all of her bad memories away. "I guess I thought a new look would help that...plus I mean, my hair was always short like this before, well before you all knew me anyways..." her lips twitched upwards into a tiny smile and she shrugged again, crossing her arms over her chest. "I promise I'm not having some super crazy melt down..."


More of this was directed towards Faith then the other two, knowing that she was the most concerned of the three.


"You...you really don't like it do you?"


----------------------------------------


Bucky watched her closely as she talked. He knew there were things that Kat wasn't telling him, but he wasn't about to push for her deepest, darkest secrets. He was only just starting to get to know the girl.


"We've all done things that we're not proud of..." he muttered lamely, running a hand through his hair again and looked down at her. Swallowing hard, he studied her face as his hand slid down her arm, to entwine his fingers with hers and stood there for a moment, getting used to holding her hand before starting off again.


"It's nothing to be ashamed of though you know...our past, it's what shapes us into who and what we are today. Got to take the bad along with the good, or however that saying goes..." he shrugged his free arm and gave her another smile.


"If you don't mind, or if you don't have any plans, I'd really like to see you again today when you're done with your classes..."
 
Liza is not one to be easily tied to one location. Although she did at first maintain interest in helping out at the stables, earnestly focused on mucking out the stall of and then checking the food and water of her own horse, she soon grows restless, as is her nature. It's still thirty minutes before she is supposed to go to her next class, and so she slips away from the stable groom before he notices, running out into the open field where Nick happens to be with arms outstretched, bear hastily hanging by one paw from her hand. She does not see Nick fall, but she does see her pick herself off the ground. Thinking this part of a game, she laughs, then throws herself down on the ground beside her, wiggling forward on her stomach like a snake.


"Look! I don't go no arms or legs!"


**


"I like it," Sheena announces after another moment of scrutiny, smiling. "Faith's right, it means people won't compare me to you all the time...and they always gotta make some cutting remark where I'm not measuring up," she added with an eyeroll, this comment meant for Faith's benefit, as she gave her another only partly playful punch again. "I used to have short hair like that too, it was way easier."


"I don't know why you don't have it now, it's not like you do anything at all to acknowledge it exists, like introduce it to a comb," Faith needled, as is a frequent teasing subject between them, reaching out to ruffle her tangled hair further. Looking back to Izzy, she finally smiled.


"Yeah, okay. Good, then. But you'd tell me if it was otherwise...right?"


She can't deny that what Izzy says is true, that she's been more cautious around her than usual since she and Jirro returned. Even now she's not sure of all the details of what they had gone through, and isn't sure she even wants to know.


**


Katarina wonders, as Bucky attempts to assure her, what the things are that he's done that he's not proud of. Lycan or not, she's sure that whatever they are, she would think no less of him. But if he knew about HER...


Nothing to be ashamed of, her past...that was a sentiment that Katarina was entirely unused to thinking. To Katarina, her past was nothing but shameful, nothing but embarassing and wrong, something to be corrected in her rather than to grow past. If her past has shaped her, then she wants to reshape it, because she doesn't want to be the sort of person that her past has made her into, at least in her own view.


She doesn't contradict him, however, but simply walks with him, small thrills of pleasure at his taking her hand rolling down her spine and continuing to curve her lips. When he asks her to meet later, she looks down again, but she is sure this time he saw her grin, embarassing as it was.


"Yeah. Yeah, I'd like to." Hell, she'd skip all her classes if that meant she'd see him sooner.


**


Adrian had wondered when it would be that his sister would finally latch onto someone at the academy.


It wasn't like Kat to go for more than a few weeks, or even a few days, without at least trying to hook up with someone. It wasn't her fault, not really, or at least, Adrian couldn't blame her for it. She didn't understand about guys and how they wanted to use her, she didn't understand that she should make them work to be worthy of her. She had never been treated well by their dad, so how could she know what a man should treat a woman like?


It was their fault, their parents and the boys, that she would end up hurt, it was them that used and abused her trust and neediness. But why couldn't she listen to him when he tried to tell her how it would go? Why couldn't she learn?


He was too disgusted to be able to trust himself to follow her, even with his instinct to protect her. It wouldn't be good if he was so angry watching her that he ended up incinerating their teacher's assistant. Instead, he forced himself to walk away towards the cafeteria, trying to tell himself that maybe she could handle it, even as he knew perfectly well that she never could before. He toyed with the thought of talking to Macal, his adviser, about it, or to Izzy, the teacher, or even Faith, who was Katarina's, but in the end he went on to the cafeteria, seeing that its crowd had thinned out. He did recognize Evan, another of the students, but didn't wave, too moody to acknowledge her without being acknowledged first.
 
(Confused who's in the room again cause it looks like you're having conversations with each other)


Wait is this some sort of teacher student conference? Cause if so I'll gladly meet you back at our quarters. *He looks at Sheena then at Izzy, it always amazes him how much alike they look, although Izzy is much more mature and seasoned looking. ( :P ) * Nice look Izzy, I bet Jirro loves it. I don't know I rather like Sheena's look and I'm sure Alex has no complaints, however there was a suggestion in the suggestion box that Sheena should wear a school uniform like the girls do in Japan. I was going to consider it at first then I realized to things. One the request was only for Sheena to wear one and second we don't have a suggestion box.
 
{It's been a couple of hours since class started, Jirro saw some talent among the students but class was over. After giving a few final instructions to the class Jirro dismisses them and starts on his way back home.


Izabella's class ended awhile ago the sound of gun fire and the smell slowly faded. Taking his time it took him about 15 minutes to get home, to his surprise it seems everyone is here. At first he doesn't acknowledge anyone except Izabella, walking over to her and kissing her and smiles at her.} How was your day Bella? Your class sounded quite exciting, for awhile I thought I was reliving the Normandy Invasion. {After putting Esmeralda back on the mantle he finally turns to everyone else.} Good afternoon, Macal, Faith, am I late to a staff meeting or something?
 
Faith blinks. "Are you suggesting your kid dress like a sexy Catholic school girl?"


For her part, Sheena flushes a brilliant red, but since she doesn't hit Macal, who she considers her father, like she does Faith, who she considers her sister, she can't respond to that with her instincts. "He...I'm gonna kill him. He TOLD you that?! Who else did he say that to?!"


As Jirro too enters the room, Faith exhales, backing off with her hands in the air. "Nope, just was supposed to be a PRIVATE conversation, but no one can resist butting in, so... guess I'll remove myself from the situation? Sheena, you can stick around being a voyeur all you want, but I wouldn't advice it, nightmares and PTSD kinda suck."
 
Nick blinked as Liza came running up and then threw herself on the ground, she slowly blinked again, tilting her head, "Um..." she said, then she couldn't help starting to giggle, she hadn't been expecting that to happen and she couldn't help finding it comical. "well, you didn't have to do that, I was just getting up." she said, though she didn't mention that she had fallen down, which she didn't want to admit to. "I will have to get to my next class some time soon." she said, she wanted to be able to get there early and be ready for class.


(gah.)
 
((I love how both Mac and Jirro have ignored the fact that Izzy chopped off like more then half of her hair...))


When Jirro doesn't even acknowledge her haircut, Izzy rolls her eyes and looks over at Faith. "See, it can't be that big of a deal if he hasn't reacted yet..." She sighs softly and looks helplessly between her best friend and cousin.


"Can we not put Sheena in a little schoolgirl outfit? That's the last thing I need, is watching all my male students drooling after someone with my face...' she puts in jokingly.


Slipping her arm in between her husbands, she tugs on his chin playfully. "So really, no reaction at all...do men just not notice when women get haircuts or something? You barely blinked the time I went blonde..."


-----------------------


"Great!" He grins down at her, even his eyes showing how happy he was. (God, I'm making him a uber cornball LOL!))


He eyes her for another moment then sighs softly. "You...you do know how old I am don't you?" He wondered if his age was going to be a problem for them later on. It was weird getting used to being interested in a human. With his kind, age was never a major factor when it came to relationships or whatnot.


((sorry so short, kinda hit a mental block))
 
"I don't wanna get up now, this is fun," Liza declares as she continues to wiggle and writhe rather ineffectively across the grass, barely managing to move at all. "I'm a snake...see my tongue?"


She sticks her tongue out, waggling it around, and accidentally licks several blades of grass. "Eww, that's yucky. I don't think snakes eat grass....I'll just be a worm instead. Do worms eat grass?"


Putting her tongue back into her mouth, she resumes her wiggling, then gives up, rolling onto her back. "Now I'm dead I guess. Only not really. Just a little dead probably....you wanna play a while? Just a little while. Mr. Stick is the only one who hits you if you're late and it doesn't hurt bad anyway. Our bears can fight maybe. Or just hold hands and sing 'cause that's fun too."


**


"Dude, a schoolgirl suit on Sheena Legs would make her all Legs and no Sheena, they're like, six feet long in that little strap of material," Faith snickered, nudging Sheena again. "With the hair thing, I think your husband probably pretty much looks exclusively at your boobs and doesn't really let his eyes stray up to your face too much, that would explain it."


Sheena rolls her eyes, but she's curious. "No one drools over me. That would just be weird...and sick. Right?"


"Sheena, you ever seen Alex look at you when no computer is there to distract him?" Faith reminded her, as Sheena shrugged in reply.


"Doesn't count, he has to. No one ELSE."


"Another one without eyes," Faith points to Sheena before walking towards the door. "Well since this is obviously a revolving door location..."


**


Uh oh...age was finally coming into this. What was she supposed to say?


Katarina guessed Bucky was about 25 or so...but if he was younger he might be insulted, and if he was older, he might think she was just a little girl or jailbait or something. What was the best way to guess?


Finally she decided not to guess at all, shaking her head instead.


"I know you're not a student, so...older, I guess...but...age is just a number, right? Isn't that what they say...that it doesn't matter? And...well, I'm not a kid, not really, so..."


She trailed off, not knowing how to further defend herself. It was true, she wasn't a kid, but if he was older than he looked, surely he would think she was if he knew HER age.
 
*Mac holds up his hands in defense* Hey it wasn't my idea it was your boyfriend's idea so both of you go beat him up. *He nods at Jirro and Izzy* You two enjoying teaching here I hope, cause we really are lucky to have you both, these kids can really benefit from both your old asses and your sage wisdom. *He snickers* Just try not to kill anyone remember there are a few actual humans that somehow have been accepted here. Anyway we should meet up later tonight have some dinner and some drinks. *He waves goodbye then follows Faith out.* Hey wait up Faith what's this about we've admitted a ghost, what is this the Scooby Doo Academy now? How will he..she..it do anything this is a combat academy, last time I checked ghost can't fight..Most are ghost because they sucked at fighting in the first place.
 
"Oh, I'm gonna," Sheena grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Watch me."


She left the room ahead of Faith, searching through the halls for Alex, and Faith stopped outside the door as Macal followed, looking back at him and shrugging."


"Don't know, seemed like an okay idea at the time. He says he can gather energy to touch and move stuff sometimes, guess we'll see. If he can't, I can always ask him to leave or whatever if there's an issue. This one's a kid, he doesn't have anywhere to go, and that's kind of what this place is for, right?"


**


(Both Izabella and I wrote this part)

His lips twitched in amusement and he nodded slowly, his eyes studying hers as she started to defend her age. Humans could be so silly. Shaking his head, Bucky tried not to laugh and covered her lips with his index finger of his free hand, surprising himself with how soft they were, and smirked slightly.



"No, I wouldn't call you a child..." he dropped his hand from her face, keeping it at his side. "However, eighteen is considered young by most people...and I'm sure your teachers, and your brother wouldn't be so thrilled with you spending so much time with a twenty-seven year old..." His eyes darkened slightly, and for a moment he wondered how fast she would run when she realized how old he was compared to herself. She had said age was only a number, but so many people had said that before. It was an age-old saying, used to make people feel better about their actions.



"So..." he cleared his throat and started to swing her hand gently in his, hoping to change the subject. "-how many more classes do you have for the day?"

He's touching her lip. He's touching her lips, his finger callused but gentle against hers, and all Katarina can think about is how much she wishes it was his lips instead.



"You know how old I am?" she blurted, surprised. "Did someone tell you, or did you look it up?"



Even as she asks she is irritated with herself- how conceited much she sound, to ask him if he would go to the trouble to look her up? Like she's that fascinating?





Twenty-seven...oh. So that's not too bad then. A little older than she thought, but still...he's not old, really. And she IS eighteen now.





"Twenty-seven...wow, so old," she teased lightly, uncertain how he'll take it, and lightly poked his side. "That's older than Faith, you know that? I guess I better stay away then."



Worried he'll take her seriously, she immediately shakes her head, taking it back. "You're not old! That's nothing...I mean I've been with guys that were older than that. The oldest, he was almost-"





She stops herself then, her cheeks coloring brightly as she lowered her head. Now she'd really blown it. How could he possibly still be interested in her if she blurted out things that basically would make her sound like a shameless skank, like the whore her father had always called her?





"I don't care what Adrian thinks," she muttered finally. "He needs a girl himself."

Bucky couldn't help himself, and threw back his head slightly and laughed. It felt good to laugh with her, it wasn't forced, it wasn't awkward. He truly enjoyed being with her. And he was very glad that his age didn't seem to bother her.



"Oh Katarina...you are something else..."



His wolf side kicked in and for a moment he felt a quick stab of jealousy at the mention of her having once been with someone else. His eyes flashed golden and he hoped she hadn't seen them as he quickly looked away.



"I'm sure-" he finally looked back at her, his features having returned to their normal state. "-that even if he was with someone, your brother would still be protective of you...are are afterall, blood...that's a bond that can't exactly be broken..." he smiled softly at her, then paused taking a moment to look around. "I'm not quite sure where it is that you need to be, but I'm pretty sure that this isn't it..."



They had wandered into one of the gardens on campus, outside from the cafeteria building. frowning, he sniffed the air, trying to figure out how to get back to the main campus.



"I don't want you to get in trouble because of me..."

When Bucky began to laugh, Katarina stilled, automatically flinching. It is her experience that most people, when laughing around her, are laughing at her, mocking her, and to think that Bucky is doing so is hurtful. Does he think she's stupid, or silly? Is he thinking of her as a slut?



She doesn't want to look up at him, unsure if she'll be able to keep him from seeing her pain if this is what he is doing. But when she finally dares, she sees that he is smiling, looking at her gently...and he's still holding her hand. He's not laughing at her. At least, she doesn't think so.





Hesitantly, she smiles, then shakes her head at his last remark. "Faith postponed her class...so I have some time. Bas? Do you have somewhere to be? Or..."



She pauses, then steels herself, telling herself that the answer doesn't matter either way. "Bas? Do you...are you seeing anyone?"

Nope, no where to be really...I'm not really teaching any classes of my own just yet, just helping Izzy with her weapons lessons from time to time is all..." he stops short when he realizes that she had asked him something after that.



Bucky feels himself go still and he coughs, suddenly feeling more nevous then before. He hadn't been expecting that, her asking him if he was seeing anyone. It's not like he was. For a moment, his mind ticked back to his time in Rome, and the one woman in the Pack he had been starting to court, but she had been barely a memory up until now. His life back there was over, the whole point of being here now was starting fresh, starting over...



Clearing his thoat, Bucky coughs again then shakes his head.



"No Katarina...I'm not seeing anyone..." his blue eyes narrow slightly and he tilts is head to the side, studying her. "Why do you ask?"



He wanted to think that he already knew the answer to that, but he had to admit it would be nice to hear her say so.

Katarina noticed the coughs, the head shake, the throat clearing...if she didn't know better, she would think that the question made him very nervous. It couldn't be because he was so attracted to her...so was he lying to her, then? Was he seeing someone? Or did he just feel so awkward at her asking a question he didn't want to answer, one he was reluctant to give her an answer to?



Was that because he didn't want to tell her the truth, in case she took it as a sign to ask him out?



The way he was looking at her...it was almost enough to make her back off, to not say what was on her mind. But in the end, the thought of backing off was more than she could bare at this point, after having come so far, and so she looked up at him, clearing her throat.





"I...maybe this sounds dumb, or you don't want to, or...I mean, we don't know each other, and you're..." she takes in a breath, then finally finishes, "if you would want...to...go out, or...something."

The human was continuing to catch him off guard and Bucky found himself smiling like an idiot at her following question. She seemed to know what it was that she wanted, and he had to admit that he found it very refreshing compared to what he was used to.



Running a hand through his hair again, he continued to study her silently for another moment or two before finally replying.



"I would like that..." his voice was soft, his accent thick as his eyes studied hers. He could hear the way her heart was hammering away in her chest, and he knew that it took a lot in her to have asked him that.



"That is, if you feel it would be alright...I don't wish to distract you from your studies..."

He would like that. He had said he would like that...he would like to be with her. To go out with her. He would LIKE that...





Katarina's heart is pounding so rapidly it has become a steady pulsing in her temples, and she blinks several times, trying to steady her breathing, to slow her racing thoughts. Without further thought about the matter, she takes one step forward, then two. Then she reaches up, taking his face into her hands, and pulls it down slightly towards her own, covering his lips with hers. She closes her eyes, trying to forget her nervousness, to concentrate only on him close to her, solid and warm, the surprising soft firmness of his lips. God, she hopes he'll kiss her back.

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting when Kat had taken his face in her hands, but even as she had tugged it down to meet her own, a kiss had been the last thing he had been expecting. His eyes go wide when her lips cover his own and he has little time to react.



He's taken back why how soft and simple the kiss is, something he isn't all that used to, and he finally caves in, releasing a faint groan as he kisses her back, his arms going to circle her waist, resting his hands against the small of her back. He pulls her closer against his, almost lifting her off from the ground, not breaking his lips from hers. the kiss grows stronger, the intensity of it catching him further off guard.



His eyes have closed, yet lights flash behind his closed lids and he has to hold in a growl, one hand coming up to bury in her hair.



The wolf in him wanted more, and after a moment the growl escaped him and he had to push himself away from her, holding her at arms length.



Chuckling softly, he lowers his eyes to the ground sheepishly, breathing hard then after a moment, Bucky looks back at Kat. "I'm sorry..."

She is shaking. She isn't sure why, exactly, but she knows that if she were to try to back away from Bucky then, to stand on her own without his arm around her, holding her up, her legs would buckle, and she would fall to a heap in the floor.



His kiss is strong, intense, as she would have expected, as she had hoped, and yet his hands do not roam, as Katarina had become accustomed to. He is just supporting her back, his fingers in her hair in a way that makes Katarina have difficulty thinking, or even catching her breath, so she doesn't try to. She just goes with her feelings, with the small thrills of pleasure and incredulity that he would even want to touch her like this that spike through her, and when Bucky pulls back, apologizing, she is very disappointed. Crossing her arms over her chest in a self conscious hug, sucking in her breath, she wonders if he's apologizing for ending the kiss, or because he hadn't wanted it in the first place.





"Was that...okay?"

Give us a moment..." Bucky is still breathing hard and his eyes have gone feral. He's unable to hide this from her and he almost feels ashamed for letting her see the animal side of him.



The kiss had indeed been a surprise. But a welcome one. but there had been feelings behind it, things he hadn't felt in a very, very long time. And the wolf side of him had wanted...no, had craved more. But Kat was human. He had to be cautious around her. One wrong move, and he could have hurt her. His eyes quickly scan her body, but she's too clothed that he wouldn't even be able to see if he had left marks from holding her too hard.



Swallowing hard, he stands up straight, keeping his arms at his sides. He doesn't trust himself to touch her again so after a moment of not knowing what to do with them, he sticks his hands in the pockets of his jeans, keeping his eyes on her.



"Good?" he questioned softly, one eyebrow arching. "That was..." he wants to say 'amazing' or 'incredible' but he didn't want to sound like too much of an ass. "It was perfect..." he finally tells her softly.



"I just had to stop...otherwise...I wouldn't have..." When he finally admits this to her, he eyes her warily and holds his breath, unsure of how she would react to this.

His eyes have changed color. Having just noticed this, Katarina stares, fascinated and slightly frightened, but this is more so because she is unused to such a thing than because she feels he might hurt her. She is tempted to touch his eyes but holds herself back. He had asked for a moment, after all.



She doesn't yet realize that her arms are slightly numb from where he touched her, that she is still shaking just a little. Instead she looks up at him, still breathless, and asks, "Or...what?"





She wishes he hadn't stopped. It's taking considerable self control to keep from reaching up and drawing him near to kiss all over again.

(Probably next post I'll introduce the fear demon)
 
Nick blinked and couldn't help laughing again, "Well, if you really want to stay down there." she said, she tilted her head as Liza stuck her tongue out and managed to lick some grass, then spoke about being a worm. "I think worms eat dirt... though they might eat grass..." she said with a slow shrug. She moved to lay down beside her, "It's nice and sunshiny out here." she said, closing her eyes, wanting to enjoy the warmth of the sun, after a few moments she stretched and got up, "I don't think that our bears need to fight, but we could play together, though I do want to try to make sure I get to class on time." she said with a nod, she liked the idea of learning, and thought that it would be a good thing for her to be there to do so.


"I like singing, I remember a lullaby that one of my temporary parents used to sing." she said with a nod, she held Donnie to her chest and began to sing, she had a voice that with time would probably become beautiful if she decided to continue singing, she closed her eyes as she continued to sing. She had always liked the song and would hum it to herself after it had been taught to her, though it never really made her sleepy, she just enjoyed the song. Once she finished singing she opened her eyes and looked at Liza.


Ezra was still wandering the building, then he shook his head, he figured that he should probably be practicing his few abilities instead of just wandering around the school. He sighed some and walked into a room, he went and sat down, closing his eyes and began to concentrate. After a while he stood up and walked to the door that he had just walked through earlier, he slowly reached out and grabbed hold of the door knob, actually grabbing it instead of his hand floating through it. He turned the door knob and opened the door, "Yes!" he said triumphantly, seeming to be happy with himself. He could open a door, so, at least he could do something.
 
Evan made her way through the lunch line slowly. Having successfully gotten a plate of pancakes, she headed over to the counter off to the side to put syrup on them, which meant waiting in another line, though this one seemed to be moving a little faster.


While she waited, she looked at the other students, mostly sitting and eating, talking happily and spotted Adrian. She noted the dark look on his face and hesitated for a moment, wondering whether or not it would be a good idea to get his attention. The last thing that she needed was for him to get out of control, but still. Evan's day had been off to a rough start, and since she actually did have time to socialize, she was willing to start up a conversation with just about anyone that she recognized.


'F*** it.' She thought to herself and let go of the plate with one hand, waving and smiling at him. "Hi Adrian!"
 
Kind of what this place is for huh? Well you're right this place is about chances as well as fighting, so we will give Kid Ghost a chance to prove that he/she..it belongs here but if I don't see progress or I find out it's some perverted joke..we'll bounce he/she..it out on it's non-exsistence ass. *He can't help but smile at her* This whole Head Mistress thing looks good on you but why should I be surprise, everything you do you do with exceptional skill and effort..Except meditation and focusing your own chi so you can use it in battle, I truly wish you would let me teach you but I know you can't sit still longer then a few minutes at a time.
 
{Jirro not being very welcoming to anyone, he's sort of stuck in his own mind again but finally acknowledges Mac and Faith as they leave} Sure dinner sounds good, if Izabella is up for it we will be there. Sheena I believe Alex was at my training grounds I'm sure if you hurry you can catch him. I really need to speak to my wife alone if you don't mind. {He doesn't wait for her to leave but takes Izabella's hand and leads her to another room, his eyes show the weight on his mind and soul} Izabella I think something is wrong with me, I'm not sick or anything but I don't feel like I'm all the way here. Or even more I feel like something is weighing me down, I don't really sleep I don't feel like myself, perhaps it's some form of PTSD from my time with HardTime or perhaps something else. I tried to cope with it on my own but I can't I need you help. Before I do something I'll regret.


(sorry it's short I know)
 
“Oh, we will,” Liza assured her with absolute confidence, as she nearly always possesses. Regardless of how improbable whatever she is telling someone is, she generally believes it fully. “I can teleport us again. And I will even give you warning and stuff. Plus also we can run fast.”


Holding up her limp, rather threadbare bear, she shook it towards Nick’s bear, making it talk in a deep voice. “Oh I’m a big grizzly bear and I can stomp you flat. But I’m not gonna. ‘Cause I’m nice and I’m your friend. Plus also we are only allowed to kick ass a little bit in this school. ‘Cause hurting people bad isn’t nice and we are supposed to be nice. Plus also I am bigger than you so I won’t be mean. So let’s just play Cootie Tag.”


Making her bear hit Donnie with its paw, she took off running, shouting over her shoulder, “YOU GOT COOTIES, YOU CAN’T GET ME!”


**


Sheena does as Jirro has suggested, hurrying through the hallways and out the front entrance of the academy towards the training grounds he has indicated Alex may be at. She doesn’t waste time; as soon as she sees the back of his blond head, she stalks right up to him and smacks the back of it, twining her fingers in his hair and giving him a little shake.


“You’ve been talking to my DAD about me dressing like one of your pervy Japanese girls? What the hell is wrong with you?”


**


“Kid ghost is a guy…at least he used to be. I mean, he’s a ghost, so I’m not sure he can remove clothes or whatever now to check to be sure…actually, you know what? His clothes are see-through, and there’s nothing under them, which technically makes him an it…whoa, weird,” Faith gets side-tracked thinking about this, her eyes brightening with interest in a manner that rather resembles her daughter’s. “So if I went ghost-y I would automatically lose sexual organs? Scary thought.”


She smiles at Macal’s compliment to her, not responding to it. She never would have thought of herself as being a teacher of anyone or anything, when she was younger, and definitely wouldn’t have thought of herself as ever being mature or responsible enough to be in charge of a pack of kids. Hell, she had panicked at the thought of having to raise Liza, who was less trouble then than she was now. But Macal thinks she’s doing a decent job, and sometimes she feels like she is too.


She replies instead only to his comment about her lack of skill with meditation. “Yeah, well, good luck on that, not interested. You know that little Nick girl though, the one Liza’s practically adopted? She can meditate, she says. The kid is like, eight. I think she’s gonna be pretty amazing within a year or so.”


**


Adrian looked up without great enthusiasm as the girl called to him. He still couldn’t remember her name, though they had class together- he knew it was something common for guys, and that it started with an E. Ellis?


“Hey,” he said, giving her a quick smile, though it felt forced. “How’s it going?”


Recalling something else about her, he added, “You remembered my name. Did you write it down somewhere?” Hopefully she would supply him with hers at some point, or his memory would kick in.


He supposes she’s going to sit down whether he feels like company or not, and she’s nice enough, so he waves her over. “You want a seat?”


**


If he had had a corporal form at some point, he did not remember it now. He did not remember his origin, and perhaps he had none; it would have been his opinion, had he ever thought about it at all, that his existence came to being for as long as mankind had existed, because with the creation of man had come the creation of emotion. And with the invention of emotion, of human action and therefore betrayal, had come the invention of rage. Somehow, with the origins of rage, Thanatos had come into being as well.


Most would probably consider him to be a demon, but it might be more accurate to call him a spirit, or perhaps a conduit. When in the presence of humans, it was his way, even his nature, to affect them with his very presence, to search out and bring into prominence even the most minor and trivial bits of anger they had stored, unvented, within themselves. Once brought to the surface of their awareness, Thanatos could then amplify it, slowly, often with several tries to do so, until it became beyond their ability to control, driving them to destroying their relationships with others and even to violence or murder. The more deeply a person’s anger was buried, the more he could gain control of it, and the more strongly his own power was fed, as though their rage was a battery providing him with vital life force. If he was able to harness their anger strongly enough, it was possible for him to be able to direct their actions, almost as though he has been given a body of his own.


Thanatos had little feeling or logic of his own. Being a lower level demon, without the capacity to physically fight or provoke others, it was his way to keep apart from other demons or evil forces, to provoke and invoke humans alone. But one would literally have to be living under a rock to not have heard of Faith Lehane Cord, the Vampire Slayer, from other demons, as well as her husband, who was apparently a god. And when he heard that this Slayer, who common vampires and other lower level demons such as himself, held in awe and fear, had opened a school to train others like her, he had to learn more about it.


By the time he was able to discover that the school was not just for other Slayers, but for supernaturally gifted children of every kind, and that the school emphasized taking in the troubled and outcast as well, his interest was piqued considerably. It was Thanatos’s experience that children were easier to have influence on than adults, that they provided a stronger and more intense conduit due to the intensity and lack of control of their emotions…for many children, dozens, perhaps even hundreds, to be all crammed into one location together, children with problems, children who had been rejected, surely they were apt to have enormous stores of anger for him to feed upon. If only he could find the place…


And this too took very little time. Thanatos had recently come upon, in his aimless unseen roaming, another noncorporal, though one unlike himself, as it could at least partly be seen; a ghost, in the form of a young boy. Thanatos had not attempted to talk to the figure or connect to it, but he had been interested to see if he could, with his presence, impact him as he would a human or demon, or if only corporeal forms were within his control. He had experimented for a few days, when able to relocate the boy/ghost, and come to find that he could not do so. Nevertheless Thanatos had kept track of him, experimenting; no one had been more surprised than he to find himself following him all the way within the very academy walls that had piqued his interest, seemingly with none, including the boy himself, any the wiser for it.


Separating himself from the boy, he had begun to seep through the building’s entrance lobby, seeping into item after item and feeling out the vibrations of each who passed. So many emotions, so much passion…already he could feel himself lightly buzzing with each small zapping sample of every person who passed by.


It appeared he had found himself a new home, because here, he would certainly never go without.


(It would affect people slowly, and likely one person at a time or in small ways at first)
 
Evan poured some syrup over her pancakes and made her way over to Adrian after he waved her over. She stood by the table, taking a small bite of her pancake. She smiled weakly when he asked about how she managed to remember her name and put her fork down, tapping on her temple with her index finger.


"You're still in my vault, is all. Day-to-day things are easier to remember." She shrugged and took a seat when he offered one to her. "I don't really understand a lot of it myself, to be perfectly honest with you."


For a while, Evan ate quietly, just then realizing how hungry she had been. She did remember the look on Adrian's face, though, and glanced up at him. "Hey, so... I mean, we aren't like super close or anything, but... are you okay? You seemed kind of upset when I saw you."
 
"I don't really understand," Adrian said with some confusion, spearing a piece of his own pancake and eating it without really paying attention to the taste. "So you remember me because you see me every day, who I am, anyway, but you might forget what I said five minutes ago? Or how does that work, exactly?"


He gave her another smile as he took another bite of pancake. "Your memory's doing better than mine, anyway...sorry, but I forgot your name. It starts with an E, right?"


Hearing her question towards him, his face stiffens somewhat, and he looks past her instinctively, as though searching for his sister and Bucky in the distance. He doesn't see them, and he has no way of knowing of their intimacy together, but he can imagine it well enough, and the thought of it is enough for the familiar heat to flood through his limbs and out the tip of his fingers, just enough to heat the metal in his hand enough to be uncomfortable.


Dropping the fork quickly, he says, "Just...my sister. Katarina, you know her? She...don't get me wrong, she's great. I love her more than anyone in the world. She's...we've been through a lot, you know, the two of us, and I get how..." he stops himself, not wanting to reveal too much of himself to someone he doesn't know well, nor to betray Katarina's privacy or trust through doing so with her. Backing up somewhat, he says more carefully, "She doesn't do things I agree with sometimes, and I don't want her to get hurt."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Back
Top