Realistic or Modern DotC High

[FlameintheRoses]

The group let him into the drivers seat, knowing that he was out for blood. Winsley had the window completely down and was scanning the area until they had come to a stop. No one stopped him once he was off, since they all had grudges against Bucky. In a way they wanted him dead, but could never really pull it off. He was untouchable to all except Sage. While Sage was inside, they turned the car around and opened up the backseat door facing towards the home. Lift crossed over quickly to the driver's wheel, ready to drive off. Kilo kept the passenger door open as he leaned against his car, crossing his arms. Silence filled the group, and no one said a word, not even Winsley. She was leaning out of the window holding her switch blade tight in her hand, prepared to jump out and barrel in if he didn't come back any time soon. It didn't take long for him though to be stumbling out of the party with a terrified Korren in hand. As soon as Korren was set down, Patch and Kilo and picked her up by her arms and feet, laying her in the back seat. Lift glanced back and took off his jacket, handing it to Winsley so she could place it over Korren. The poor girl had been dressed to look like a slut, which infuriated them all.


Korren had been shoved through the crowd of people and brought to the kitchen. There was a haze of smoke that hung around them that made her light headed. Tears clung to her cheeks, making her seem horrified of everything, more so than before. She stumbled in her heels into a man that was standing behind her. Her vision was blurred between the tears and exhaustion, and soon two other figures approached closer to her. Automatically she backed up, but backed into the man behind her, who held her by the hips in place. They all chuckled as she struggled and cried, and started harassing her physically. One of them tugged at her dress, while the other felt her up. She tried her best to fight, pushing against them and tugging at her dress to keep it down, yet couldn't keep it up forever. Before long she was losing and her dress starting to be tugged up, though there was a loud yell as one man in front of her had moved away. 


Korren blinked tears out of her eyes and felt a tug on her arm, and she stumbled forward again, though this time she was picked up, being rushed out of the party. She looked up to see Sage, overwhelmed with relief of him being there. For a while she thought he was killed, and was consumed with grief over it. Soon she was outside and put down only to be picked up again, laying down in the back seat. Her head was swimming as she looked around. Patch was next to her, brushing her hand carefully through Korren's hair, while Winsley was hanging out the window. Lift was sitting in the front seat watching the fight as it went down. 


Kilo stood by as the boys tumbled on the ground with fists flying. Instead of jumping in and getting hurt in the process, he stood close by in case the fight went horribly wrong. Once it was all over and Sage had fallen to his knees, he walked over and lifted Sage up on his feet, pulling an arm over his shoulder so he could be relieved of some weight. After that he half-carried him back to the car before he could answer him. Kilo looked to the back of the car to see a crying Korren, laying curled up under Lift's brown leather jacket. "She's not lookin' good." Instead of putting him in the front, he put Sage in the back next to Korren as to make sure they could stick together. He slammed the door shut and climbed into the car, shutting the door and patting the door twice to signal it was time to go. They had whisked off on to the road, though Lift was careful on turns as not to make Winsley fly out of the car. The direction they took was toward's Winsley's house so that they could get away from the shark pit of rich preps. Everyone was quiet, except for Korren and probably Sage. Patch pulled out a few joints, handing them out to group with the exception of Korren. Winsley climbed back into the car and sat on Patch's lap to make room for Korren and Sage, takin the joint and taking a long aggravated drag in attempt to calm herself down. 


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage coughed weakly as Kilo helped into the car, sitting next to Korren. He hesitated for a long moment before carefully pulling her into his lap, hugging her close and making sure the jacket covered as much as possible. "It's okay, Harvard, I got you," he cooed, running his fingers through her hair as he smoothed it down. His lip was split, his nose was bleeding, and his cheekbone was already darkening from the shiner Bucky had thrown at him. His entire face ached, but he didn't mind all that much. Korren's weight against him made him feel weightless- as contradictory as that sounded. Feeling her against him, knowing she was there for him and he was there for her made life so much better. "I told you I'd protect you and I meant it. I know I was late, and I'm sorry, but I'll be better in the future, I promise." He kissed her temple, keeping her close against him the entire car ride.


Sage hummed to Korren. It was always such a natural sound for him to go to. Whenever any type of stress or frustration entered his life he turned to music to help calm down and he hoped the music helped Korren too. For now it was just a generic sound, though, as he tried to think of a song that would be nice and simple, something she would like. After a few minutes, a song came to mind and he sang it softly in her ear, only for her to hear though in the silence he was sure everyone could.


Way before you came  I was hollow, hollow, hollowUsed to complicate now I'm alright, alright, I'm fineAll I gotta do now is follow, follow, followUsed to complicate now I'm alright, alright, I'm fineYou don't need no big productionThe synth and just my voice is fine... YeahYou don't need to wear your makeupOh na naNo need to mess with God's design, you're just so simple and sweetYou're just so simple and sweetYou're just so simple and sweetYou're just so simple and sweet, yeah, yeah, yeahLet's keep this simple and sweet


As he finished the first half of the song, Sage let his voice trail off. They were getting close to Winsley's home anyways, which is where Korren would spend the night. He wanted her to be safe, and she would be safest with him. "We'll get you some comfy clothes, alright? Maybe something warm to drink, too? Do you like hot chocolate?" he asked. "We have marshmallows, too, if that's a seller for you," he added, offering her a small smile, hoping she would be okay. @FlameintheRoses


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXUaoDl3Rgs

 

[FlameintheRoses]

There was the soft sound of whispered cries from Korren as she twitched. She curled her hand around the jacked collar to make sure it covered her. As Sage entered in the back, she looked up, and was pulled gently into his lap. By now Patch had already helped her take off those blasted heels that almost blistered her feet, rubbing the skin raw when she wore them so that it was red and irritated. She kept her hand around the jacket collar, though used the other to clutch on to his shirt. Her whole body was shaking uncontrollably, pent up with so many emotions she didn't know what to do with. First of all she felt dirty and disgusting because of what those men were doing to her, secondly there was too much grief over Sage's "death", and last of all being ripped from place to place without a say. Tears streamed down her cheeks like raindrops in a harsh thunderstorm, relentless from ending. Her breath hitched and shook as she tried to compose herself, failing in the process. When his lips pressed against her temple, she only held on tighter, breaking further down. "I-I tho-ught I l-ost yo-you." She took a deep gasp for breath, wrapping her arm around his side and holding on tightly. Without even attempting to speak again, she listened to his voice the best she could as he hummed and sang to her. Everyone else stayed completely quiet as he sang, with Winsley truly listening to help herself. She tapped her joint outside of the car and took another drag, blowing it out of the car. All that mattered now was that Korren was safe, and that Sage was alright. 


Once they got to her house, there was complete silence. Lift slowly parked in the driveway and turned off the car, turning to look back at the two to check on them. He got out of the car first, then Patch, then Kilo and Winsley. Before each one got out, it was almost choreographed how they each turned back to check on them, but they were all thinking of if the two would be okay. All there was left was Korren and Sage. Korren had been calming down in his lap, laying her head against his chest and resting against him. She looked up when he talked with her tired eyes, giving a faded smile to him and nodding her head twice before closing her eyes and laying her head on his chest again. It didn't matter where she was at this point, as long as she wasn't anywhere near her house. There probably would have been police and firetrucks at her house anyway, trying to figure out what happened that night. All she wanted was to rest and be with Sage, where she was safest. It was sad to think that she wasn't even safe in her very own home, but that was just how it was.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage waited until everyone was out of the car, and even after they he let minutes tick by. "You know, Harvard, I don't think punching Bucky out is going to end without consequences, but I want you to know that I could wake up dead tomorrow and I wouldn't regret a single moment I've spent with you. It's really nice to have someone in your life you can take care of. I know I got Lottie but it's different with you, you know?" He slid out of the car, picking her up and guiding her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. "Hold on, okay?" In a strange way, it reminded him of when Winsley had pounced on him to make out, but this was different because Korren didn't want a kiss, she wanted comfort and strength, and Sage would give it all to her.  He carried her into the house, glancing over at the gang. "Two hot chocolates, extra marshmallows." After saying that he walked into the guest bedroom- otherwise known as his home away from home. 


This was Sage's second room, his second life. Down the hall was his second sister and in the living room was his second family. It was surreal to think of it like that, to think of Korren as part of the family- but she was. Whether she liked it or not, she was one of them now, and it meant nobody was going to fuck with her unless they wanted to die. Sage walked over to the dress, getting out a pair of his sweats and an old tee shirt. "Here, love, you can wash up in the bathroom and you put this on and then we'll get you set up. Maybe some TV? I'm a sucker for a good rom-com." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "You take your time and I'll wait outside the room okay. Whenever you're ready for me I'll be in here." He offered her one last smile- one last thing to reassure her, before heading out and waiting outside the door for whenever Korren said she was ready. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren held on to him and listened, clinging to each word. Of course there would be consequences, and she only wished that there weren't any to face. At the moment there were just the few of them, working together against the world to survive and live their lives. She nodded as he told her to hold on, and clung her legs around his waist while wrapping her arms around his neck and holding there. It took a lot of strength to hold this, but she didn't have to hold it long. On her way in though she accidentally dropped Lift's jacket on the floor, but didn't have time to get it. She kept her face nuzzled into his neck until they were in the guest bedroom, and was placed down on the bed. As soon as she was put down she tugged her dress down uncomfortably to try and cover this body that she was ashamed of, since all it was to anyone was a tool. She looked up and nodded to him, holding the clothing in her arms. A ghost of a smile appeared on her face, though nothing more could be shared for now. He was comforting her to the best of his ability, which she appreciated very much, yet couldn't show it just yet. All she could do was nod and keep that small smile on her cheeks as he left.


Once the door clicked shut, she shifted herself off of the bed, taking careful steps to the bathroom since she was still light headed, though the spinning had come close to a stop. She entered and shut the door behind her as to ensure herself there was complete privacy. After this she turned on the water, removed her clothes, and stepped in. It took at least 30 minutes for her to settle herself and clean up, though most the time she was standing under the heat trying to fully calm down and reassure herself that she wasn't with Bucky anymore. Still even the thought of him frightened her though, since every time she saw him he would always go out of his way to make sure her life was a living hell. She stepped out of the shower and put the clothing on, adjusting the sweats so it could fit by rolling the waist band until there was minimal baggage. As for the shirt, it felt nice to have it hanging over her like a tent. It wasn't revealing in any sense, which was good for her. When she was done, she picked up her clothing on the ground and neatly placed them on the counter so they could be out of the way, before finally walking out of the room, looking up at Sage with a brighter smile, even though it was still faint.


During those 30 minutes, Winsley had gone into the kitchen and prepared hot chocolate for the whole group, since by the mere mention of it everyone liked the idea. They all finished off their beers and were sitting and waiting for the hot chocolate to be ready, flipping on whatever channel was entertaining in the slightest. Winsley had finished preparing all six hot chocolates, making sure to put extra marshmallows in two of them. For all of them though, she coated the top with her famous chocolate syrup covered whipped cream. She brought out the four without too many marshmallows in them and handed them out to the group before sitting down on the couch next to Patch, resting her head on her friend's shoulder. Their attention was focused on the television show, whatever was really going on in it. It wasn't that interesting, but they just needed to rest and not do or say anything else.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage had waited patiently for Korren, and when she finally came out he grinned at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "You tell me, Harvard, do you wanna watch some TV or go to bed?" he asked, leading her past the living room and into the kitchen. He glanced over at his friends, all drinking hot chocolate and watching the television. Sage paid no mind to them for the moment, though he did glance once towards Winsley, nodding once as if to assure her everything was going to be okay, before heading into the kitchen and moving away from Korren to get their hot chocolate. He handed Korren's over before taking a sip of his own. "If you wanna watch something, I can get the gang to change the channel. We really don't mind what we're watching, and we have a beautiful girl in our midst so of course we'll bow to her will," he added with a grin. "But if you wanna go to bed, I will be your loyal guard dog for the night. I could sleep on the floor, if you don't mind. I usually roll myself out of bed and end up there anyways." He knew his jokes were dumb, but he didn't know how else to cheer Korren up. The type of humor he used with Winsley and the rest of his friends wouldn't work for Korren. He couldn't call her a slut and expect her to call him a whore back and for them to laugh about it- no, he had to be careful, to be gentle and to show her affection because she certainly deserved it and it was obvious no one else was giving it to her.


@FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren smiled at him walking by his side to the kitchen, leaning slightly against him as she walked. Winsley looked over when Sage nodded to her in confirmation, and she sighed in relief, knowing she would be able to sleep well knowing things would be okay. There were two cups of hot chocolate riddled in chocolate and marshmallows. They looked good, and she grabbed the one he gave her, taking careful sips. It was still hot, but didn't burn her tongue. She smiled as he joked, giving a light chuckle while looking down at the mug in her hands that acted as a heater. "I think TV sounds okay." Her voice was raspy, almost gone and unable to sound any louder than she was now. It was hard to speak, since her vocal chords were worn down from what happened that night. She looked back up at him through taking a sip of her hot chocolate, her eyes seeming to be bigger as she looked up at him.


His lip had been split and his cheek was bruising, while his nose had bled. For a moment she arched her brow in concern before putting down her mug. She moved over and grabbed a paper towel, running it under warm water before walking back up to him. All of her focus was paid to him now as she moved his arm out of the way and dabbed the towel over the places where blood had dried or was drying. Once that was done she made sure to wipe away the water with a dry paper towel, making sure the blood was all gone. As for his bruise, she went to the freezer and wrapped a few ice cubes in a towel, placing it over his cheek carefully. There was a certain concentration set in her eyes as she helped him, kept with a weak smile as she held the make-shift ice pack to his cheek. Without realizing her other hand lingered around his other cheek, lightly holding his face in place. 


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage allowed Korren to work, careful to bite his tongue instead of wincing, not wanting her to think she had done anything wrong. As one hand held the ice pack to his face and the other rested on his cheek, the look in his eyes softened and he gently reaching up and rested his left hand over hers, before hissing loudly and looking down at his arm. He had completely forgotten about the horrible burns that left red skin and blood where flesh had once been. It was the most obvious of his injuries and yet the easiest to forget, though now that it was on his mind it was all he could do to bite his tongue as it continued to sting. He turned back to Korren, upset because he had ruined the moment, but all the same he moved his good hand to rest on her cheek. "I really wanna kiss you again," he mumbled, before gently pulling away from her and taking the ice pack.  "But alas, prince charming has an arm he has to fix up. Care to come watch, m'lady?" he asked in the most posh accent he could fathom. He chuckled at himself before heading out of the kitchen, knowing that cleaning up his mess of an arm would be a nightmare. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren smiled at him as he placed his hand over hers, though immediately changed her expression as he hissed. Her eyes followed what he was looking at, realizing how badly his arm had been torn up. It was only when he rested his hand on her cheek that she turned her attention away. He brought a smile to her cheeks, it slightly faltered when he moved away, though she couldn't help but chuckle at his little posh accent. "Why yes, I do." Korren imitated the same posh accent. Before she left the kitchen, she grabbed their mugs and carefully carried them out, making sure not to spill either of them. 


As she walked out of the kitchen, Winsley glanced over and shared a tender smile, and Korren returned the favor. It was good to feel accepted, especially after what had happened. She no longer had to be some fake popular kid anymore, but rather she could be who she wanted to be. Korren Csholm, ex-girlfriend and enemy to Bucky and the popular kids, friend to the street rats and any others that were seen as out casts. Granted, being outcast had a price to pay, but she was fine with that. She could endure anything so long as her friends were there by her side.



@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage led them both into the bathroom before shutting the door behind them and wetting a washcloth down. He carefully let it graze over his seared skin, hissing as pain swarmed throughout his arm, taking the limb and making it feel as if it was being devoured by some beast. Sage stopped, squeezing his eyes shut and picturing his sister and him at the beach, playing in the sand, laughing and building castles together. The pain started to fade. He took an extremely slow breath in and then let it all out, before continuing. He mumbled cuss words under his breath the entire time, before finally finishing cleaning the wound and pulling a first aid kit out from the cabinet. He opened it up and pulled out the burn cream, the cuss words rising in volume, coming out even faster until they all slurred together as he rubbed the cream over the wounds, before getting a gauze wrap out. "I'm sorry, Harvard. Pretty uptown girl like you shouldn't hear all that." He held the gauze out to her. "You mind wrapping my arm up, love?" he cooed. "I can't really do it by myself. I need you, Harvard," he said quietly, though at that point he wasn't just talking about a simple fix-up. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren watched him as he worked, worry set in her eyes when he was in pain and cursing like a sailor, shrugging as he apologized. Without hesitation she grabbed the gauze and carefully wrapped his arm, making sure it was skin tight but not too tight. It took her a minute, but she did it, and in the end taped it down with athletic tape to secure it. When she was done she looked up at him with a smile, grabbing hold of his good hand as not to agitate the wound any further. It still felt terrible that this happened, but there was nothing she could do but keep moving forward in life. She looked down at their hands that tangled together, with hers being significantly smaller and nimble, while his were quite the opposite. Her fingers grazed over his knuckles just barely as a comfort to both of them. After a moment she placed her other hand over his right hand, holding it between her palms. For the moment she was deep in thought, though held that sweet grin on her cheeks. He was alive, and she was glad of it. She brought his hand up to her lips, placing it against them for the longest time, before she slowly leaned his hand down, scooting closer until her cheek rested against his chest. There was a brief moment until she slackly brought her arms around his waist, staying there with a stoic expression. Her eyelids fluttered shut as she stood there, thinking to herself and being thankful of him surviving. That one same thought repeated itself through her mind: He could have died. It could have been much worse.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage smiled gently at her affection towards him, before she leaned in for a hug, her arms wrapping around his body. He wasn't used to hugs. It wasn't that he didn't get them, but pretty girls like Korren normally didn't like to hug. He wrapped his arms around her, ignoring the sting in his left one, and rested his chin on the top of her head. He stayed quiet for a few minutes, wondering who needed this more- Korren or him. Probably Korren. She had been through far worse than him after all, but he still liked to use it for his own comfort as well. "Korren, can you promise me something?" he asked gently. "I don't know where we're going with this, but I wanna be your friend. Promise me will be friends no matter what." Sage didn't really do friendship. He tended to skip that step, but he knew he needed to take it a bit slower with Korren. She'd been through hell and back and people like that needed time. Sage would give it to her, give her every last waking moment she needed, he just wanted this reassurance, that they could be friends and maybe someday soon or someday far away she could tell him she liked him and why she liked him and they could be together. Wishful thinking, he was sure, but he wished anyways. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren listened as he spoke, holding on to him all the while. For a moment she was silent, conjuring up the words with what little voice she had left. "I promise." She whispered, meaning every word. If they couldn't be a couple, she still at least wanted to stay friends, to keep in contact and never let go. This was the closest to normal in her life she would get, and she wanted to make it last as long as possible. They both had issues, but they could be worked through.  Things that he were working through seemed rather tough, but nothing she couldn't handle. And who knows? Maybe they would be more than friends. After all, she did like him in that sense, and had the answers to the question he posed as to why she did like him. The only thing that was hard for her was actually delivering such words.


Korren held on for as long as she could, sinking in to the comfort as time passed on. This wasn't something she was use to, so she wanted to make it last as long as it could. 


After a couple minutes, she slowly let go, though kept hold on to his hand. She looked up at him and smiled kindly, showing any means of appreciation for his presence whatsoever. 


While the two were in the bathroom, the group had finished off their hot chocolates. Most of them were exhausted, especially Winsley. She stood up and went to her bedrooom, with Patch following after her. It was usual that Patch would be the first to stick in her room, and if not anyone else was welcome. There was an extra futon that she bought a while back for guests, and put it in her room. Kilo and Lift were still watching T.V, though Lift soon joined the girls with a yawn, claiming said futon. The only one left was Kilo, who put in a movie at that point. Since there weren't many dvds, he settled for watching something called Spirited Away. It started off normal, though as the film went on it was becoming stranger and stranger. There was no doubt to him as to why Winsley liked this one. Overall it was strange in intricate, filled with bright colors. It was definitely a classic Winsley movie.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage had been so relaxed against Korren he almost pulled her back when she moved away, but he knew better than to do something so stupid, so instead he just returned her smile and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Come on, I think everyone's slinking off to bed. That means we have the TV all to ourselves." He kept hold of her hand, leading her out of the bathroom and into the living room. Sage was a bit surprised to see Kilo still up and kicking, but all the same he sat next to his friend. "Korren controls the remote," he said simply, reaching over Kilo for it. He knew Korren was probably too nice to change it but he wanted to give her the option anyway. Although as Sage watched the movie, he couldn't help but pause, still completely leaned over Kilo, staring at the screen intently as magic unfolded. Something about this movie was familiar- and then it hit him. It was one of Winsley's favorites. They used to watch it over and over and over again when they were little. Sage set the remote back down, still leaning against Kilo as he watched. "Damn, it's been awhile since I've seen this." He finally sat up, patting Kilo's head. "Good pick. Korren, you ever seen this before? It's great." He patted the seat next to him, wanting to cuddle up to her as the nostalgia hit him hard. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren nodded and followed him out in to the living room, holding on to his hand tightly. At the sight of Kilo, she smiled at him kindly. He returned the favor with a less enthused smile, only because he was winding down for the night. It wasn't that he didn't care about her, since a friend of Sage was a friend of his, but he was just exhausted. The only reason he didn't go to bed was because he was interested in what was going on in the movie. 


As Sage sat down and took the remote, Kilo gave a side-glance, not wanting to be rude to the guest but also still wanting to watch the movie. His focus was kept on the movie, though he moved his head around Sage's to see the screen. Not one thing could take his focus off of the movie, even Sage. Although when his head was pat and hair messed up, he did reach his hand up to run through the scraggly locks, setting it to the way it was before. 


Korren watched as Sage interacted, seeing that Kilo really was invested in the movie. If she was given the option, she probably wouldn't have as to be polite to Kilo. She smiled at Sage, sitting down in the seat next to him. "I don't think I have." For a moment she sat awkwardly, though soon pulled her legs up on to the couch, leaning her head on his shoulder all the while. The movie they were watching was very colorful, and she didn't quite understand what was going on. There was a scene where the main character was in a food court looking area, searching for her parents. As things went through that single setting though, the parents were eating and turning into pigs. This disturbed her slightly, and she curled herself into Sage a little more, unable to really look away from the scene. Everything was so strange, yet it was interesting. She almost asked questions, but kept her eyes on the screen trying to figure it out for herself.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage began to lean towards Korren, wrapping his arm around her as the movie went on, resting against her in a sort of content state that wasn't quite exhausted yet not quite wide awake either. It was tired, but not in a sleepy way. In the way that made you lazy, made you want to lay around all day because you'd be laying with someone you care about. There was no need for movement when he was plenty comfortable against her. As the movie went on, he grabbed a blanket, pulling it around Korren and him and unfortunately leaving Kilo out. He rested his head against Korren, watching with glassy eyes as the movie came to an end. It didn't make him cry, but now he was actually beginning to grow tired, and he closed his eyes, yawning as the credits rolled. "Korren," he whispered his voice just loud enough for her to hear. "Stay with me, okay?' And while he was talking about that moment, it wasn't the only meaning behind his words as he drifted off into a sleep full of dreams of Harvard- the girl he got to sleep next to, not the school- and for once, they had happy endings. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren snuggled as close as she could during the movie, hugging the blanket over her legs. She intently watched the movie, almost crying when Haku was severely injured, though by the end of the movie it ended on a happy note. It was a wonderful movie, no matter how strange it was. As the credits rolled, she looked up at Sage, who was winding down. "Okay." She smiled at him, leaning up to kiss his cheek as he drifted off. For a moment she watched him as he drifted, watching as he relaxed. By now Kilo had gotten up and went to bed, claiming the guest bedroom to sleep alone, since it didn't seem like Sage and Korren would be moving from the couch. Korren slowly leaned down and laid her head on his lap, curling up on the couch. A wave of exhaustion pulled at her as silence rung in the house with the occasional sound of cars passing by. Usually the cars consisted of residential street rats or gang members driving around or returning home to sleep or hang out. It was interesting to hear most of what was going on, though after at least 20 minutes the sounds died down. She drifted off with a small portion of the blanket clutched in her arms. For once in her life though instead of setting an alarm for the morning, she shut her phone completely off, not wanting to be disturbed, even for school. She didn't want to think of what could happen at school, and instead focused on sleeping. Once asleep, she slept peacefully through the night, with the occasional nightmare of Bucky, but nothing too severe. In the end, Sage would always be there to protect her. A permanent smile stuck to her lips in her sleep with confirmation that she wasn't alone anymore. Someone loved her and would help her through hard times. 


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Around five thirty in the morning, Sage's mental alarm clock went off. It started with the faintest feeling of being pulled out of the water, and shifted into a yawn and squinting at the brightness of the sunlight peeking through Winsley's ragged curtains. He moved to rub his eyes, yawning once more before looking down at Korren, her head in his lap. He smiled gently, his fingers running through her hair in a melodic way as he watched her for a moment, happy to see her at peace since she certainly hadn't been so calm last night. He only hoped Bucky would have a new victim today and leave Korren alone. Of course, he knew that wasn't realistic but then at the same time he'd be there to protect Korren so it would all be okay.


He carefully cradled her head in his hands for a moment, moving out from under her before slipping a couch pillow under her head. He didn't want to wake her up just yet. She deserved the sleep, after all. He headed into the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge to start on breakfast for the gang. He found some eggs and enough ingredients to scrape together some pancakes and got to work, making platefuls of both. This was Korren's first morning with them so he had to make it a good one. He was finally finished making enough for everyone about an hour later, and walked through the house into the guest room first, shaking Kilo. "Wake up, Kilo, time to get ready for school!" Sage cooed in a singsong voice, grabbing the blankets and yanking them off as he walked out to ensure his friend would get up.


He then moved onto Winsley's room, looking between her and Patch. He walked over and shook Winsley awake, knowing she'd be the safer bet. "I made breakfast and Kilo's already awake. I'd hurry if I were you, Slut," he joked, ruffling up her hair, knowing she'd get Patch up.  He then headed back out to the living room to Korren, resting his hand on her shoulder but not being as rough with her as the others. "Hey, love, I made breakfast. You want some?" he asked, just barely shaking her, moving slowly, just enough to get her up. "And we can talk about if you wanna go to school or not. Whatever you decide is fine with me." @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Each one of the members were woken up bright and early. The first was Kilo, who rolled out of bed after his sheets were ripped off, groaning all the while. He got up from the ground, walking out of the room with his shirt off. It wasn't like it mattered to anyone for him to wear a shirt in the morning anyway, of course with the exception of Korren. Even so, with Korren in the room he wasn't going to change his habits. He trudged out of the guest room, walking out into the kitchen, grabbing a plate of food before sitting at the table. Since it was the morning he was rather sluggish, especially since he knew he'd have to go to work today.


Winsley was shaken awake, groaning in annoyance. "Piss off, I'm uncultured." She spoke with a raspy voice, moving her hand in a slapping motion in his direction. After at least five minutes, she turned on her side and moved Patch's shoulder to wake her up. "Sleeze made food. Get up." They both got up and walked around the futon, being as quiet as possible as not to disturb Lift from slumber. Both girls went into the kitchen and grabbed some food. As usual, Winsley dug in and got more than Kilo. Patch ate at her own pace, not necessarily thrilled to be up at that moment. Her head banged with a head ache, which left a forever contorted look of frustration in her brows.


Korren on the other hand, had still been asleep, though was carefully woken up. Her eyes fluttered open, seeing Sage in front of her. She reached for his hand, closing her eyes again. "Okay, just.. give.. give me a minute." She mumbled, slurring her words as she laid there. It wasn't like her to want to sleep in, but she had been so comfortable laying there with him. As she laid there still, she held on to his hand lightly, trying her best to keep her eyes open. Of course though she was failing, her eyes fluttering open before closing again. Was she hungry? She wasn't sure. It was too early, and she was still quite tired. Slowly she pushed herself up into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes with her palms, reaching into a stretch soon after. She yawned, stretching as much as she could. It relieved her muscles and helped her wake up a little bit. Without much thought she stood up, placing her hand on his good shoulder for assistance. It was time to prepare for school and eat breakfast. One day missed she could handle, but thought that it would be best to not skip another day.


She reached for his hand before walking slowly to the kitchen, holding on slackly to his hand. Korren wasn't completely sure as to why she had to have contact, only knowing that it felt nice and right to do.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage chuckled as he watched her wake. She was so cute in the morning, struggling to get herself up and moving, her hand holding his, or on his shoulder all the while. As she began to lead him into the kitchen a sudden idea came to mind, and Sage pulled her back to him, kissing her gently, before scooping her up off her feet. It might have all happened a little too fast for her since she was half-asleep, but he had been a little desperate to give her a good wake up call, and she seemed to still like him so a harmless little kiss couldn't hurt anything, could it? He smiled as he carried her into the kitchen, before setting her down in the vacant seat next to Winsley and getting a plate ready for her, setting it down in front of her. He then sat next to Korren, looking around the table with a small grin on his face and began to dig in to his own breakfast. "We are all officially Korren's secret service today, guys. Just keep that in mind. My girl isn't going to deal with Bucky's bullshit- but he probably won't be there anyways." Sage added, snickering when he thought about how bad he had punched that bastard last night. 


It was then he realized he called Korren his girl, and while he didn't regret it, he wondered how she felt about it. He was more or less convinced they were in a relationship, even after telling himself they could be friends at first. Of course, kissing her this morning probably wasn't the smartest option. He went quiet, stuffing his mouth with food for an excuse to not talk anymore, trying to think. He hoped he wasn't scaring her or being too into it. He just really liked her and he really wasn't used to taking things slow. He was quietly praying he hadn't screwed anything up or made it awkward for Korren. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren had felt him pulled her back, and surprised her with a kiss. For a moment she got scared from being moved so swiftly towards him, though didn't pull away. On the contrary, she stayed and sank into the kiss. She squeaked slightly as she was scooped up from the ground, quickly clutching a fistful of his shirt. Now she was definitely awake, her cheeks filled with pink at the realization of what all just happened. She held on to him up until she was set down in a seat, still trying to process all that happened in that swift moment.The rest of the group looked over with a set arch to their brows, almost synchronized. They nodded to what Sage said. The only one smirking was Winsley, seeing how Korren had reacted to Sage's actions. It was obvious she was not quite awake yet and thinking, though it was cute to see her cheeks filled with that pink pigment. Not many girls that stuck with Sage had necessarily blushed, since they themselves were pressing to be in a relationship as well. "Don't worry, that piece of shit ain't layin' a finger on 'er, else I'll bite it off." Winsley spoke up after swallowing down her food, smiling all the while. There was no doubt that the group would be watching out for the bastard that haunted Korren in the hallways. Everyone else nodded in agreement, though continued to eat. 


Korren ate along with them, though not as fast, nor did she eat as much as they did. Granted, Kilo limited himself on the pancakes but did eat a lot of eggs and drink milk in the process.


Over time Korren began to smile as her mind reviewed the moment that had just happened. It was nice to be appreciated, to be loved. Even if Sage had so suddenly pulled her to him, he wasn't rough about it in any way. He hadn't hurt her in any way, and wouldn't hurt her, she noticed. After finishing up her pancakes and eggs, she scooted closer to Sage, wanting to be directly next to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, blushing all the while. The others had already moved on from eating by now. Kilo had gone off to get a shower and change, Patch went to change into one of Winsley's outfits, though Winsley lingered momentarily. "If you need clothes, you can borrow some of mine, Harvard." She spoke with a smile, moving on and following after the others to get ready.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

When Korren leaned against Sage he felt some of his nerves fall away, and finished off his plate. "I really like you, Harvard," he whispered, wanting to spell it out for her, wanting her to know in explicit terms that she wasn't just another one night stand, or a casual affair. "You make me happy." He kissed her temple, pulling her into his lap and smiling as he nuzzled his nose against hers. He rested his hand on her cheek, looking her over for a moment. He really hoped they could be together. Korren had grown to mean so much to him in such a short amount of time and he didn't know why but she was just so amazing and he never wanted to lose her. He took a deep breath, his fingers moving through her hair, brushing it back. "Now you get ready, okay? I'll have us stop by your house to get your backpack and then I'll walk you to first period, does that sound okay, love?" he asked, wanting to make sure she was good with everything he planned to do. With the way Bucky tossed her around, Sage wanted to show her as best he could that that was most definitely not supposed to happen in a relationship, and that he would be better for her- even if he probably did have more baggage. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren smiled brightly as he whispered these words, ones that made her feel happy inside. She made him happy, and that was all that mattered. He made her happy, knowing that he cared for her and would protect her no matter what. She allowed herself to be pulled into his lap, scrunching her nose up when he nuzzled noses with her. Helplessly she giggled, looking into his softened dark eyes. Korren leaned into his touch, pressing her cheek against his hand, momentarily shutting her eyes. When he spoke, she looked back into his eyes, hanging to every word. "That sounds good." She nodded once, looking at him all the while. The deep focus set in his eyes pulled her in, and she couldn't help but just look. She stayed in his lap for a few more minutes, leaning slightly closer to him. Usually she wasn't comfortable with being so close to anyone, but she wanted to be close to him. It was okay to be close to him, to be close to someone who cared for her and wouldn't push her away or abuse her. Carefully she placed her forehead against his, moving a hand to his cheek. It took a lot of strength for her to get this far. She closed her eyes, staying in this position with their breaths mingling, nose to nose. They were so close, her face was consumed with that red pigment again. Korren took her time, though finally did it. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his, wanting him to know she felt the same way he did for her. Her heart skipped a beat, and was thumping in her chest. Never had she done this voluntarily. It was always someone else initiating it, but never her. Since Sage was different, she wanted to change this fact, and wanted to be comfortable with him. She placed her other hand on his cheek, keeping her hands set there, though she wasn't necessarily holding him in place. 


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage was a bit shocked by the way she initiated the kiss, and even more so when she didn't pull away after a second or two. He had gone stiff but now he relaxed, wrapping his arms around her waist and tilting his head a bit, deepening the kiss. He wasn't trying to be rough or overly passionate, he just wanted to return her care with his own. His hands moved up, his fingers tangling in her hair but being careful never to tug on it. This was a moment he wasn't going to forget. She was willingly kissing him, and he was glad, though he had no idea what this made them. Were they a couple? Would they hold hands in the hallway and share fleeting kisses in between classes? Or would they hide their affection for each other until they were safely alone? Or would everything be forgotten after Bucky was completely out of Korren's life? He tried not to think about those things for now, and to just let himself fall victim to this angel's kiss. If this was any other girl he'd probably already have them shoved down on the table but this was Korren, and after this moment he knew he didn't like her- he loved her. He felt it, like the same pull he had for Rose or Winsley, but in a different sort of way. In a stronger way that made him even more protective. He never wanted this kiss to end and yet he knew it couldn't go on forever.


He finally pulled away, letting their foreheads rest against each other's. "Now I really wish we could skip school," he whispered jokingly, his hands sliding out of her hair and moving back down to her waist, holding her against him. He kissed her forehead, closing his eyes and relaxing for a moment, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down. "You go get ready, love, okay? My beautiful girl can't be late for school." He thought for a moment, before leaning down to kiss her one last time, unable to hold himself back, before untangling himself from her so she could leave and get ready. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren had gotten into it, moving slightly closer as it all went on. Her eyes were closed through the whole thing, though she finally opened them when he pulled away. She breathed out and controlled her breathing, smiling all the while. A small chuckle escaped her by what he said, and she relaxed in his arms momentarily, though of course she had to go get ready. One last time they kissed before she moved herself away from him, though not really wanting to move away. She smiled at him, walked out of the kitchen. Once did she look back, before moving towards the guest room. Alas though, Kilo was in there taking a shower. She moved away from the door, pondering as where to go, before remembering what Winsley said. Quietly she knocked on the door, waiting momentarily before the door swung open. Winsley was standing there brushing meticulously through her hair, and waved for Korren to come inside. When she entered, she saw Lift still asleep on the futon, while Patch was getting dressed. They all seemed rather quiet, so Korren didn't say a word. While Winsley was brushing her hair, she opened up her dresser drawers and pulled out blue skinny jeans and a black t-shirt with a 9 in roman numerals in white, scrawled lettering. It was one of the only ones that didn't include a band name on it or some graphic picture with blood and skeletons. After pulling the clothes out, she handed them to Korren and returned to brushing through her hair. "There's an extra tooth brush in the hall bathroom." Winsley whispered to her and smiled. 


Korren nodded and mouthed a thank you before heading out with the clothes. Once she was in the bathroom, she searched under the sink for an unopened toothbrush packet. Quickly she worked away at getting ready, shutting the door behind her and locking it automatically. She removed the clothes that she had on and fit on the ones that Winsley gave her. The shirt fit almost perfectly, while the skinny jeans were a little short. The ending seem of the jeans met above her ankle, but she decided not to bother with it. Once she was done she neatly folded Sage's clothing and left it on the counter. By the time she walked out, Kilo had walked in to the living room with keys in hand. Since the gang all had come to Winsley's house, their back packs were all in the trunk of his car so it would be easy for them to get out and go. Patch had walked out of Winsley's room, with Winsley following after. Patch and Winsley traded phones, since Patch's iphone had more choices and music on it and could stream it constantly, while Winsley's clunky flip phone couldn't do as much, though it could stream music videos on the internet. Once the group was gathered together, they all headed out ahead of Sage and Korren to wait in the car. Winsley had gotten on the phone, calling her mother to let her know that Lift was staying over. Her mother would be at home by the time they would all be off to school, and would need all the help she could get around her own home while she slept the day away. The poor woman had worked herself for over 14 hours and would need the rest.


@McMajestic