Realistic or Modern The Misfit Mile

[Blakie13]

Bastien smiled at Azrael. It looked as though they could easily have a support system in place for the three of them, apparently. A cruel twist of fate to put three people who suffered from panic attacks together, though. "Fellow survivor, huh?" Bastien whispered to Azrael, still patting Asher comfortingly on the foot. Seeing Asher in this state reminded him how close he had come just a little while ago, and God knows Surrana, bless her, sucked with helping him through his attacks, and Hero and Daniel would have been even worse.


--


Demetrio was not phased by Daniel's weak attempt at a distraction. "Mind telling me why my boyfriend's lips taste the way you smell...amigo?" And the way in which Demetrio's tone twisted around the word amigo was anything but friendly. If looks could kill....


Demetrio stepped forward, towering over Daniel much the same way as he had towered over Lady. Only this time...his face was much more unforgiving.


Surrana whispered to Aurelio, "Daniel is right, this all needs to be on TV...do I have time to get popcorn, d'you think?"


Aurelio looked at her like she was insane. "Daniel is probably about to be killed because he did something stupid, and you want popcorn?! Dios..." he hissed in reply.


"Oh, he's not going to die...Hero and I were there, he did it as a joke to wake the sleeping princess, as it were. Bastien had one of his fainting spells," Surrana said, realising her volume was a little much.


"And uh, how did that happen, exactly?" Aurelio questioned with a gulp, noticing that while Surrana didn't notice, Demetrio's glare had shifted towards them.


"Daniel got naked to tease Bastien, and Hero and I...walked...in..." Surrana caught on to Aurelio's warning glance, and shifted her attention to the angry Spaniard in the room. She swallowed nervously.


Demetrio looked back to Daniel. "Daniel. Care to explain?" His voice carried the promise of agony, like an Inquisitor tying a heretic to the post.

 

[cataleerc]

Azrael stiffened slightly at the term survivor. Really, he could have used any other word, but that term transported her back to Russia, back years ago to that house. A young girl sat huddled in the corner, rocking herself back and forth, eyes fixed on the horrific scene, unseeing. As her hearing faded in and out, she caught a few key terms such as dead, and only survivor, and homicide.


Azrael blinked away the memory. Now was not the time. There was never a time for those memories, in her opinion. "Um, yeah. Something like that," she managed.


--


Daniel glared daggers at the girl. He'd had the perfect lie sitting right in his back pocket--literally. He never when anywhere without strawberry flavoured gum which was why he always smelled so strongly of the fruit. He couldn't help the fact he had an obsession, albeit a healthy one.


"Look, this is all a huge misunderstanding. I was helping Bastien set up his easel, and realising he could paint, I took the opportunity to make a joke. Y'know, break the ice. So, like in The Titanic, I posed partially--far from completely--nude in order to ask him to 'draw me like one of his French girls.' I guess I took the joke too far. My bad. I swear it won't happen again. Truce?

 

[Blakie13]

Did I say something...? Bastien thought to himself, noticing Azrael's sudden tenseness. "I...see," he muttered, worried he had upset her. He bit his lip, a nervous habit that Demetrio for some reason considered a turn on. "Do you think he's ready to try drinking again? I can go get another glass..." he muttered, suddenly self-conscious. Stupid, stupid me, and my assumptions... He thought to himself, hoping his embarrassment and worry wasn't too obvious on his face. But the telltale heat on his cheeks told him he was blushing.


--


Demetrio wasted no time, and threw a punch straight into Daniel's nose, hearing the cartilage snap. "Misunderstanding...understood now," he hissed, walking out of the room to calm down in the hallway. As soon as he was out of sight of the open door, he slid down the wall of the hall, clutching his head in his hands.


Surrana went over to Daniel, leaning down to help him up. "Well...that certainly went better than I expected. What was with that glare, anyways? Don't tell me you were going to lie...lying would have gotten you a few broken bones, probably," she sighed. Shit...We are going to have to reset his nose...


Aurelio grabbed a towel out of the en suite bathroom, walking towards the pair. "Here, use this for the blood. You are lucky, amigo, very lucky. Bastien is everything to mi hermano, you got off very light. I know how to reset that thing, unless you can do it yourself?" He asked, hoping he could make up for his brother's brutality, at least a little bit. He was quite pissed himself, that this man had presumed to kiss Bastien.

 

[cataleerc]

Azrael shook her head. "No, not yet. His breathing needs to level out first. My rule is that until you can stand on your own, drinking water is not a good idea. Right now he'd probably just throw it back up."


Hero sat, helpless to her brother. All she could do was weep silently and rub his back, hoping this would all just blow over. What a terrible idea this was. She would talk to him about possibly moving out once he was feeling better. If this much drama constituted the first few hours, she dreaded what the rest of the year might look like.


--


"Fuck," Daniel howled, hands instinctively moving to cover his face as the blood came rushing down his cheeks. He didn't bother sitting up, just stared at the ceiling wondering how Bastien could date a guy like that, knowing everywhere they went, carnage would ensure. Seriously, from what he'd gathered the kid hated any sort of animosity, yet he chose the most over-protective asshole of them all.


"Sure," Daniel grumbled. "Then next time you have a broken arm I'll let you reset it while I just watch on a pretend to help. Dammit man, don't you know any better? Of course I need someone to reset it. Just like I'd need someone to bite off my finger if I so desired because the brain makes it nearly impossible to inflict so much pain upon your own body."

 

[Blakie13]

"Hmm... I wish had someone like you around when this happens to me... Surrana just freaks out, Aurelio thinks jokes will calm anyone down, and Demi just knows to hold onto me throughout the ordeal..." Bastien murmured, feeling even more foolish for his suggestion, the pink of his cheeks getting brighter. "Uh, Hero, are you holding up alright?" He didn't like the panicked look to her eyes. Bastien felt so useless right now, and the stress of the day was growing. He couldn't have an attack right now, not with one dormmate already in the midst of one. He subconsciously began rubbing circles on Asher's foot with his thumb, a trick Demetrio often used on him for comfort.


--


"Hmmm, well, that would explain why Father screamed so much louder when he reset his nose. Also would explain the passing out, although I had chalked that up to being from his other injuries," Aurelio stated calmly. Aurelio moved into a kneeling position before Daniel, taking his nose in his hands gently. Aurelio had done this many times before, to teammates during football. "Uno...dos...tres!" And he moved the cartilage into the correct position, quickly before Daniel could react.


"Hmm, I've never seen Demetrio violent in person, is it a common occurrence?" Surrana asked. She couldn't imagine that it was.


"Nah, he's just having a long day. Once in a club in Madrid, some guy grabbed Bastien and basically swallowed his face, and Demetrio just pulled him off and danced closely with Bastien for the rest of the night. So you, amigo," Aurelio addressed Daniel, "are either the tipping point for today's stress, or he considers you a threat. Going off your looks and charm, I'll go with the latter," he finished. He kept his face neutral, not really concerned with the blood all over his hands.

 

[cataleerc]

"I guess now you do," Azrael shrugged. She noticed the tint of his cheeks and rolled her eyes internally. Geez, this kid was embarrassed by everything, it seemed. She desperately wanted to tell him to buck up. It might solve a world of problems for him if he didn't overreact to the simplest things. Only now was not the time, nor the place with his guard dog just around the corner. What was up with that guy anyway? Everything anyone did seemed to get up under his skin, and in return, he was under hers as well.


"Hm?" Hero looked a bit lost. It took her a couple of moment to recall what Bastien had said. "Oh, uh yeah. Yeah. It's all copacetic." That was a lie, and they could all probably tell. She didn't much care, truth be told.


--


"Oh, sonuvabitch," Daniel grunted, reactively pushing Aurelio away from him. The pain was now spreading from his nose, across his cheekbones, and under his eyes, sparking the worst headache he'd likely ever had. "Man," he whined, sitting up on his elbows. "Now I'm gonna look like such a douche bag. Because you know who wears sunglasses inside? Blind people. And douche bags!"


--


Lady refused to look up from her book as the pandemonium commenced. They didn't want her help, so she'd sit back and let them all kill each other. Whatever. It wasn't her problem. She'd gladly stay in her room, divining all day and night if she so desired.

 

[Blakie13]

Bastien just nodded in response. Hero was clearly lying, but he wasn't going to comment. He could talk to her later. Bastien was itching to escape at this point. Azrael had everything covered, so there was little point in staying. Yet he didn't feel comfortable leaving Asher and Hero. Asher looked so helpless, and Hero not much better. Azrael could think him useless or foolish, but Asher... Bastien again blushed, this time in embarrassment over realising he had been staring into space without replying to Azrael.


"Sorry... Uh, yeah. I guess I do..." He murmured to Azrael. It was a good feeling, having someone who knew how to take care of these things, and he didn't notice his eyes watering in reaction. He grinned at Azrael.


"Asher, feeling okay there?" He asked gently.


--


Demetrio heard Daniel and the others in the room. Mierda... He was such...a fucking... Asshole. He hadn't meant for it to go that far. Too much stress for one day. He also felt that he needed to get up, find Bastien, and confess to being an overprotective, jealous jackass. Also, Daniel could use Bastien's confirmation that Demetrio wouldn't harm him ever again. Demetrio shook his head, stood up, and moved towards the common room.


--


"Yeah, but you'll look like a cute douche bag!" Surrana exclaimed. "Plus, think of sweet little Bassy. All his sympathy, all for you. He'll be all over you, trying to make up to you for his boyfriend's brutality," she said with a wink. She patted Daniel on the shoulder comfortingly.


"You're welcome, by the way..." Aurelio stated. Hopefully this would be the last physical confrontation between his brother and the other male. The rest of their fights would probably be mostly yelling. Because there would be other fights.


Surrana chuckled at Aurelio's sullen tone. She leaned in close, putting her lips near Daniel's ear. "Next time...don't have witnesses," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek, knowing full well his face was in pain.

 

[cataleerc]

Azrael took note of Bastien's subtle restlessness. "Go check on the others," she suggested. "Make sure no one died. I saw your boyfriend dragging Daniel away with murder written all over his face. Ever thought of a leash? Or maybe a muzzle?" Again, social ineptitude came into play. Before she could continue on, Hero have her a swift kick to the knee as an effort to shut her up or at least distract the girl.


Asher shook his head miserably. He'd never felt worse. Not even they time he'd landed with a really bad case if food poisoning on vacation the the Bahamas. He'd been bed ridden the entire time. It's like being sick on your birthday. Nobody wants that, but sometimes it happens. Now this. This was missing your grandmother's final birthday because you had the flu. And though he could breathe again, he still felt sick to his stomach and not quite to the level of speech.


--


"Don't worry, sweetheart. The door remains locked from now on." Daniel winced at the kiss, not because he didn't like it. It just hurt. A lot. "Would you like to stay and nurse me back to health?" He continued. "I would be forever grateful, and quite possibly indebted to you for some time."

 

[Blakie13]

Bastien cringed at Azrael's tone and her words, not liking the implication. "He...he's not like that, usually... Demi... he's just not taking the whole 'moving to a foreign country, and getting disowned by his father' thing very well, is all... And today is just being altogether too exciting...and...can you...not say stuff like that about him?" Bastien pleaded, tears starting to flow down his cheeks, only this time they weren't ones of joy. He felt nothing but guilt over his boyfriend leaving his life and his home for him. Bastien clutched his hands, the nails biting into his palms. He forced himself to not look at anyone but Asher, lest his tears embarrass him more. Surrana is right....I'm an emotional wreck, why did I think asking Demi to come to school with me was a good idea?


He stood, slowly stumbling towards his and Daniel's room, wiping his face.


--


Demetrio couldn't say he was pleased to see Bastien's cheeks stained with tears. But he said nothing, merely embracing him quickly. "Sorry, mi corazon, I'm...so sorry..." and then he continued walking to the common room. Bastien wanted to be away from him for a little bit, and to be honest, Demetrio felt he deserved it.


--


"As tempting as that offer is, you have a roommate much better qualified than I. I'm much too selfish, love," Surrana chuckled. "Besides...when I want someone to owe me...I make it a much more complex game than this."


Aurelio rolled his eyes, exiting the room, not in the mood to deal with Drama Queen and Strawberry Lips for much longer. He decided to go back to he and Azrael's room, instead, passing Bastien on his way out.


Bastien popped his head into his room. "Am I interrupti--Daniel, what the hell happened to your face?" He questioned, rushing into the room, getting close enough to inspect the damage.

 

[cataleerc]

Hero swiftly introduced her face to her palm as Bastien shuffled away all sad eyes and defeated posture. Asher had calmed down substantially, though he still looked quite shaken. His eyes were clearer though, meaning the panic had dissipated. "I think we need to work on your..." She trailed off as Azrael up and left, completely disregarding the still-very-much-in-need-of-assistance Asher slumped on the couch. "What an inconsiderate hot-head," she huffed. Asher agreed with a fervent nodding of his head. "Alright, kid. Let's get you some water. And this time will you just sip on it? It's not a water drinking contest."


--


Azrael bit her tongue as she watched Bastien go. It wasn't her fault he couldn't control his partner's temper. She's merely given some helpful suggestion. No need to go and cry over spilt milk. At any rate, Asher seemed to be faring well enough that she could leave as well. She had too much pent-up anger. Time to find the nearest gym with an open policy. She didn't have the patience to mess with memberships. She just needed to pummel something.


--


"Oh, ah. Front flip too close to the door. I bashed my nose on the knob. No big deal," Daniel lied upon seeing Bastien's flushed face and wet cheeks. Obviously the poor kid had gotten enough grief due to his pet's behaviour. This was Daniel's turn to do a little damage control. He would pretend not to mind Demetrio, and maybe convince the rest of the house to do the same if they were all to survive a week together.

 

[Blakie13]

Demetrio also passed Azrael on his way to the common room, but he was in no mood to question her about Bastien's tears. She looked stiff, and angry enough to strangle a bear. Instead, he entered the common room, where Hero appeared to be getting Asher some water. "You okay in here, amigo?" He asked Asher. He knew he wasn't okay. He'd held Bastien through enough panic attacks to know how they were. "Hero...Not...not to be a bother...but Bastien sorta...passed me in the hall. I'm in no state to be angry over anything else right now, I'm- as you Americans say- burnt out. But...what happened while I was gone?" Demetrio asked, utterly convinced his behaviour had been what upset Bastien. He was such an awful boyfriend...


--


Aurelio jumped slightly when he heard Azrael enter the room. He turned from where he had been arranging his desk, and stopped moving when he saw the anger in her eyes. "Uh...Azrael? You okay, amiga? Everything with Asher alright?" He asked nervously. He was just as tall and strong as his brother, but unlike his brother, Aurelio was quite terrified of the Russian.


--


Bastien sighed in relief, grinning just a bit. "Why on earth were you doing front flips with four people in here? No wonder you got hurt..." Bastien murmured. "Do you want me to get you some ice? Here, sit on my bed, it's closer. Are you absolutely sure you're okay?" He questioned insistently, scanning the man for other injuries. He didn't know how much he believed Daniel's story, after all, Azrael had been right about Demetrio looking pretty angry as he dragged Daniel away. But if that's the story Daniel was telling him, Bastien believed it. Daniel had no reason to lie. "Am I going to have to nurse you through recovery, Danny?" Bastien asked, laughing a little.


Surrana took advantage of the distraction, and slipped out of the room to join Demetrio, Hero, and Asher in the common room, a little surprised to see Lady reading a book out of everyone's notice.

 

[cataleerc]

Asher nodded, not raising his eyes to look at the Spaniard. The attack was finished now, but he remained quiet out of embarrassment rather than the simple inability to speak. This was absolutely humiliating. Going into such a large scale panic attack over decorations was just... Pathetic. That was the only word to describe it.


Hero returned with a glass of water, and he took it gratefully. "He's fine now, just sulking a bit," she answered in a motherly fashion. As mature as he seemed most of the time, sometimes he just reverted into a sulking toddler, forcing Hero to become their mother. Most of the time, it was reversed. Hero often joked that he should get a shirt proclaiming he was the world's greatest mom.


She hesitated at the next question. He had proved very violent at the slightest provocation thus far. Did she really want to send him after the Russian? "It's not a big deal. Just a misinterpreted joke. Don't worry about it."


--


"Where's the nearest gym?" She demanded, tearing clothes out of her suitcase for something suitable to work out in. Her entire body was tense, and the muscles that typically did a good job of hiding themselves bunched and rippled with surprising power for her small physique. She would need to invest in a punching bag in the room if the year continued like this. It would do to spend all day commuting back and forth between the two locations.


--


"You know me," Daniel grimaced. "Gotta show off for the ladies. And the men, for that matter. " He allowed Bastien to help him over to the bed, grateful for the soft platform. It took stress away from the rest of his body. Now only his face hurt, and not the bones pressed uncomfortably against the floor.


"Yes, I believe Danny would like that," he chuckled, heart fluttering gleefully. His first pet name! Maybe a broken nose wasn't such a terrible way to go after all.


--


Lady, feeling a new presence, slowly raised her heterochromatic eyes from the pages of the mysterious, leather-bound volume in her lap. She arched an eyebrow in silent questioning. Can I help you with something?

 

[Blakie13]

"That's good to hear, I guess..." Demetrio nodded, glad that his roommate was doing better. His stress levels were decreasing, and his natural icy calm was returning. "Bastien has them pretty frequently, so I'll know what signs to look for, if I need to warn you, Hero," he stated. He didn't particularly hope for more panic attacks, but he wanted to assure her that she could trust him as her brother's roommate.


Turning to Asher, Demetrio patted his shoulder. "According to Bastien, the first attack was the worst. The shock and the inexperience does that. They'll...never be pleasant, amigo, but you'll start to be able to tolerate them a bit more. Azrael seemed to know what she was doing when I left, and Bastien has plenty of experience. With those two, you'll do fine, I'm sure." He finished kindly. He turned back to Hero.


"A misinterpreted joke...made my boyfriend cry?" Demetrio replied calmly. "I've already been a shit boyfriend for one misunderstanding already today. I'd rather not repeat that...So... Would one of you two be willing to talk to Bastien and the perpetrator about it? Just...make sure everything is okay, si? He probably needs me to give him space today..." Demetrio trailed off, slightly deflated. His expression was one of defeat and sadness.


--


"Uh, si, there is one here in the building, on the bottom floor. Free to use for residents, I think...." Aurelio stated, looking for his own workout clothes. No way was he letting this girl go off on her own with the temper she had and the violence that had already rocked the flat. "Hold on, we can go together. I've missed out on my daily routine twice now, anyways..."


--


"Well, colour me impressed, and I wasn't even here to see you show off this time," Bastien teased. He left the room for a minute, avoiding anyone's notice, and brought back an ice pack. "Here, let's get some ice on that, Danny."


Bastien sat next to Daniel, getting as close as he could without touching, and applied the ice gently to his nose. "This...might hurt a bit, but bear with me. I'd offer some painkillers, but I...uh, I'm out," he stammered out. A perfect stranger didn't need to know why Bastien wasn't allowed near painkillers. "It's getting close to dinner, I wonder what everyone is doing for food...And me and Surrana were supposed to be doing movies, but she's probably busy at this point..." Bastien murmured.


--


Surrana nodded in reply to Lady's implied question. Avoiding the others in the room, she crept over. "Lady, was it? I'm Surrana. First, I wanted to apologise on Demetrio's behalf. He can be a bit...blunt, sometimes. But he meant what he said, we do appreciate the thought. It's just the...aesthetics of it all that we worry about. As you can see, Asher doesn't react well to the morbid, and our resident Catholic Spaniards aren't exactly down with...non-Christian memorabilia. But I'm sure we can figure that out..." Surrana rambled.


"Now...as for some personal help...I've got a certain friend, see, who-despite being innocent as a cherub-is a bit...polyamorous. And I'm convinced he won't be happy until he admits that to himself. Any advice?" She asked, smiling the same smile she used when begging Daddy-Dearest for money.

 

[cataleerc]

Hero and Asher nodded together, each relieved in their own way that there were people in this place who were experienced with such things. Asher hoped he wouldn't need anymore assistance in that jurisdiction, but one could never be too careful in this place, as he had learned almost immediately upon entering. It sucked, sure, but the fact that others admitted to having panic attacks made it a lot less embarrassing for him. Especially since it was another boy. He didn't feel quite so weak now.


"Oh, uh, yeah," Hero flushed furiously. "It's all jake, I swear. So don't fly off the handle. I'm just the messenger. Azrael suggested a leash or maybe a muzzle for, well, for you. I mean, she wasn't mean about it. I think Bastien is just upset because not everyone hit it off as they do in the movies. This getting accustomed to living with such a diverse group is going to take a while to stabilise, y'know." She twirled a strand of platinum blonde hair around her index finger, an nervous twitch. He claimed to have cooled down, but it was a pretty severe comment. Who know what the hot-blooded European would do.


--


"I don't need a dog to accompany me to the gym. I take care of myself. I have since I was seven." Azrael argued. She didn't want him there. She didn't need him there. Maybe he thought he was doing her a favour, but maybe his favours were about as good as stale brownies. He was useless and probably had the same temper as his god-forsaken brother, though thankfully not as easily provoked.


With no sense of privacy--this was Russian ideal. Modesty was pointless--Azrael stripped in the middle of the room, not caring that she bared anything to this stranger. It was only skin, after all. All women looked like this. It was no secret, just common anatomy. She swiftly exchanged her regular bra for a black sports bra, and threw on a pair of Nike athletic shorts and a tank top.


--


"Maybe some other time, kiddo," Daniel joked, shying away from the ice. He did not want anything touching his face right now. His cheeks were so tender that if even a speck of dust landed on his face he might scream bloody murder. No joke. "And don't worry about the painkillers. That's what chocolate and weed is for, my friend. Here, uh, look in my backpack. Pocket closest to the straps. Inside there's this top compartment. Grab the Altoid tin, if you will."


--


Lady snapped the large volume shut with a fireworks display of dust. "Oh, that is long forgotten," she replied with an eccentric wave of the hand. "Poof!" She leaned forward on the edge of her seat, interest piqued. This would be interesting indeed. "Polyamorous, you say? Well, that won't be too difficult at all! Come, come," Lady jumped from her chair, ushering Surrana into her lair. She sat the girl down in a velvet lined, wing-backed chair across from hers. In between was a low coffee table, a crystal ball as the centre piece, surrounded by countless items whose purpose could only be speculated. "Now," she said, taking Surrana's hand in her own, "Tell me all about Bastien and this denial of his."

 

[Blakie13]

"Dios...Was...was I really that bad today? A muzzle...a leash..." Demetrio said. He could honestly say that that stung a little bit. He sighed to himself, shaking his head to and fro. It was probably going to take weeks before any of his new dormmates were willing to even speak to him without worrying about him blowing up on them. First impressions were incredibly important, and to Demetrio it seemed as if he had blown his completely. He ran his fingers through his hair, staring off into space.


"I...Guess I deserve that. I'm such an asshole...Asher, I'll understand if you don't want to room with me anymore, after all...this..." Demetrio shrugged, as if motioning to all the events of the day that could be blamed on himself. "One of you will talk to Bastien for me, right? I think...I think I need to go lie down..." he muttered. He wasn't even going to broach the Azrael topic, not after their little spat not all that long ago.


--


Aurelio looked away, his cheeks slightly pink. He had heard that Russians were a little more open about their bodies, but he didn't really expect her to change in front of him. He averted his eyes, beginning to change into his gym shorts himself. She was not going to deter him. He needed the exercise as well, it wasn't an entirely selfless offer.


"Discúlpeme, amiga, but if I want to go to the gym with you, I can. It's not like I'll be spotting you and following your every move. I just thought to accompany you on the way down. I need to work out, and I want to see what the gym is like myself. So I am coming with you, whether as a friend or a silent acquaintance going the same direction is entirely up to you," Aurelio replied, putting on his sneakers and grabbing a towel. The blue tank he was already wearing was more than adequate for some gym time. "You want me to fill a water bottle up for you while I'm in the kitchen?" He offered, grabbing his own off his desk.


--


Bastien chuckled, setting the ice on the bed. Daniel would probably need it at some point, but he would let it slide for now. Instead, he rubbed Daniel's thigh in a quick, comforting motion, and moved over to his roommate's bag. He followed Daniel's instructions, finding the tin right where he had said it was. "Here ya go," Bastien said, perking up from earlier. He handed the Altoid container to Daniel, and sat back down.


--


"I didn't even mention...oh, you're good, Madam, very good," Surrana said with a chuckle, taking in her surroundings. She had been correct about what she had told Hero-the room did indeed remind her of a classroom from Harry Potter. Crossing her legs, and adjusting herself for comfort, Surrana smiled at Lady.


"Well~!" She began in an almost sing-song tone. "Bastien and I have been friends since middle school. We grew up together. And as such, I know him quite well. So, when we went on a trip to Europe together, my suspicions were piqued when he seemed to show equal interest in two parts of a set of twins. No, that's a lie... Bastien often had multiple crushes and such at the same time ,which isn't so unusual, but still. Now, Bastien has had crushes, infatuations, and even a relationship before he met Demetrio, but he never...seemed to act the way he does around the Spaniard. The boy is in love, plain and simple. But...as much as he denies it, and as much as the twins don't notice, he acts the same way around both of them. Of course, this alone didn't say much, I suppose. After all, loving two people at once wasn't uncommon. But I had a discussion with his mother...and she had her own suspicions, of course. That woman has the intuition of a goddess, I swear....Together we looked into it, first finding the term 'polyamorous' and deciding that that sounded very likely. I confronted the boy about that, and all he did was close off and deny it. And since that confrontation, he's been rather careful to treat the boys very differently, but he still gets that look in his eye when he sees Aurelio....Now, obviously, I'm not an expert, and my and Mrs. Sutherland's theory could be way off... But...never hurts to be careful." She finished, almost out of breathe thanks to her long rant.


She thought about mentioning Bastien's journal being filled to the brim with his conflicting emotions. He thought he was just promiscuous and was trying desperately to reject that. But to admit she had read his journal to a complete stranger, let alone exposed the secrets of said journal, was a faux pas Surrana wasn't willing to commit.

 

[cataleerc]

"Yeah, you kind of were," Hero supplied, albeit tentatively. Her tone was soft, bordering on pity. She looked at Demetrio, and she did not see a hot-head who spoke with his fists. She saw a man so far from home, and so out of his element that his reactions reflected that of a cornered animal. He was no bad guy, and she hoped the others would understand that soon.


Asher shook his head. "What, and room with Miss Crazy over there?" he motioned to Lady who was dragging a perplexed Surrana into the depths of forbidden room. It actually wasn't forbidden--probably--but he figured people would only enter if given permission. "I don't think so. I'm fine sharing with you."


--


If Azrael were a cat, all of her fur would be standing on end by now. No one ever contradicted her. Ever. She would have drilled the lesson into his head by way of a swift upper-cut, but one megalomaniac who thought with his fists was enough. She'd have to get creative. Maybe passive-aggression was the way to go with these Americans. She'd figure it out eventually. But for now, he was trying to make himself useful, so who was she to stop him. She tossed her water bottle to him without a word, opting for silent acquaintance.


--


Daniel emitted a soft sound of pure joy, and his eyes lit up with delight. "Yeees," he sighed, popping the lid to reveal a small lighter and a few joints he'd rolled last morning. He stuck the green roll between his lips, ran his thumb over the spark wheel, and lit up. He inhaled deeply, held the smoke for a few moments, and exhaled with a contented sigh.


"You want?" he offered. Smoker's rules: always offer if around others. It makes fast friends and allows no room for harboured feelings of resentment. Getting high was always more fun with someone else anyway.


--


Lady listened quietly as she collected a stack of Tarot cards. She offered them to Surrana, asking her to shuffle the deck, cut them, and place five cards in front of her in an upright arc. "This is the Five Card Horseshoe Spread," she explained. "From left to right, the cards will show you the Present Position, the Present Desires, the Unexpected, the Immediate Future, and the Outcome. Do not look at the cards."

 

[Blakie13]

Demetri0 sighed. Hero's tone was kind enough for it to not hurt, but it wasn't pleasant to hear such a confirmation. He nodded to her, giving silent thanks for her honesty. He also nodded to Asher, a slight smile playing on his lips. He was glad he hadn't chased his roommate away, Demetrio wasn't sure he could forgive himself if he had.


"Well...Like I said...I am going to lay down for a few minutes. Let me know if you check on Bastien. I'll...figure out Azrael later..." Demetrio said, turning once again towards the seclusion of he and Asher's shared room. Once inside, he threw himself on the bed, and stared up at the ceiling.


--


Aurelio rolled his eyes at the girls stubbornness. Friendliness was apparently not her choice this time around. Small matter, he supposed. She would cool down...eventually. "Madre de Dios... So stubborn," he muttered to himself, catching the water bottle. "I'll wait for you by the front doors, then we can go." He exited the room, heading towards the kitchen. He filled his water bottle, then Azrael's, and did as he said. Hopefully she won't take long...





--


"Uh, no thanks, not really my thing..." Bastien replied, shaking his head slightly. He had tried the stuff once, and he did not particularly enjoy the experience. "I'll just...stay and watch. Keep you company. Fetch you munchies," he said, laughing slightly. This was how he always acted when Aurelio decided to smoke. Demetrio hated the smell, and Surrana only did it when she was having her time of the month, but Aurelio enjoyed it well enough.


Hmm, still need to see about selling some artwork...and movies with Surrana... he thought to himself, thinking over the original plans he had had for the day.


--


Surrana listened to Lady's instructions, shuffling the deck properly. She placed the cards as she had been told, careful not to look at them despite the temptation. She then sat quietly, awaiting Lady's next move.

 

[cataleerc]

"Don't beat yourself up over this. It'll blow over," Hero promised, her perky smile back in its rightful place. It was almost dinner time at this point, and her stomach grumbled unhappily at having been ignored. She'd forgotten lunch. "I'm starving," she complained. "Wanna get whoever wants food and find a restaurant. Or should we make a list and stop at Whole Foods?" She was all about organic eating. Not only was it so much healthier, but it tasted better, too.


Asher shrugged. "Whatever works for everyone else."


"Cool!" Hero left with a quick peck on Asher's cheek--so eccentric, that one. And still insisted on using terms from the 20's--and ran around knocking on doors, asking what everyone wanted to do for food.


--


Azrael breezed past Aurelio and out the door, not waiting for him to catch up as she took the stairs two at a time. He'd said something about an elevator, but they were heading to the gym. It seemed counter productive. She left him in charge of carrying her water bottle down with him.


--


"Suit yourself," Daniel replied on an exhale, eyes slightly glazed, already in the world of euphoria. His head buzzed pleasantly, and the pain was all but gone. He turned to look at Bastien, a boyish grin spreading across his lips. "I actually meant it, though. I want you do draw me. If not like any of your French girls, then doing some sort of acrobatics. Give you a challenge."


--


Lady retrieved the deck from Surrana's hands and placed four cards of her own. One over the Obstacle, on over the Unecpected, one over the Immediate Future, and one over the Outcome. She took the fourth card, and laid it horizontally across the entire spread of cards.


"The King of Cups," she started with the last one she had placed. "Bastien is very warmhearted, yes? Always desires other's happiness above his own?" She already knew she was right. "In the Present Position sits the Two of cups. He has met a new lover recently. The Present Desires houses the Seven of Cups: he has too many options to choose from. Or an addiction, perhaps? The Chariot is overlapped by Death. A protective relationship turned poisonous--doomed to fail. The Tower is also overlapped by the Two of Wands: Beware of the proud man, as his actions will send a shock through the house. And finally, the Ten of Swords resides with the Priestess. The relationship will end, but in this ending will emerge self-awareness and understanding of one's own desires."


Lady sat back, quite satisfied with what the cards had to say. Bastien was going to discover something about Demetrio that would damage their relationship beyond repair, and the boy would likely seek protection in another, if not many other, budding relationships.

 

[Blakie13]

Demetrio felt a sudden chill, and then sneezed. Hmm...Someone is talking about me... He thought with a sullen chuckle. Superstitious nonsense that it was, he was sure the others were talking about him and what an asshole he was. He didn't feel like he deserved Bastien, he was just lucky enough to have earned his favour. His musings were interrupted suddenly by his stomach growling. Turning over, he looked at his clock. Demetrio sighed, realising that it was much later in the day than he had thought.


"What the hell am I supposed to do for dinner..." he muttered to himself, and then he heard a knock on the door.


--


Aurelio sighed...This girl was driving him nuts on day one, and he wasn't sure he would survive to the actual start of classes at this rate. He followed after her, going down flight after flight of stairs, until they reached the bottom floor. "I believe the gym is this way," he said, motioning towards the main lobby area, and its multiple off-shoot hallways.


--


Bastien answered Daniel's grin with an impish one of his own. He was glad to have such a nice roommate, even if he did randomly kiss Bastien within the first couple hours of meeting. At least he was sure the year would be interesting. "I suppose I could do that, it would be fun. But...Surrana and Hero already called dibs on my free work. So...I won't make you pay, since you and I will be living together, but you're gonna have to make it up to me somehow, alright?" He replied with a mischievous wink.


--


Surrana clapped slightly, like an excited child at the circus. "That was certainly impressive, Madam Lady...Oh, that sounds odd...Anyways. And really? Bastien and Demetrio split? They're so cute together though...Hmm...Maybe it'll become one of those 'on again-off again' things...Oh well...I should consider moving it along then...maybe after I spy on at least one more date, of course. I don't know about you, Lady, but boy on boy action is the most amazing entertainment this world has. I completely understand Japan's obsession. Maybe I should start setting up a shipping chart..." She trailed off, calculating.


Bastien was a fully-fledged homosexual, so pairing him with any of the girls was a no-go...There was Daniel, Asher, and the ever neglected Aurelio as options then. Surrana hummed happily at the idea of Bastien finally accepting his nature. Ahh...my little cutie..He'll be a maneater yet.


Surrana giggled slightly at her inner monologue, and wished Lady farewell. "I'll be back, sweetie, this is way too much fun," she stated, getting out of the chair and heading for the door. "She's into superstitions~...Black cats, and voodoo dolls~..." She sang to herself as she made her exit.

 

[cataleerc]

Hero poked her head through Demetrio's door, with a few reservations. He had just gone to lay down, and here she was disturbing him yet again. But food was a priority at the moment, so she pushed onward. "So, food is a necessity at the moment. I have volunteered to stop at Whole Foods and make a communal grocery run. I was also wondering if everyone wanted to go out for dinner? Maybe the public nature of a restaurant would remind everyone--not just you. Oh, and no offence--that we are a civilised people, and not animals going for the kill. There's this neat place called The Pharmacy a couple blocks away. Everything is organically grown, and the meats are not from massive slaughterhouses. It's all pretty local. They even make their own pop. Whadya say?"


--


"I know where it is," Azrael snapped, when in truth she didn't. Obviously, since she had not known about the gym at all until informed by the Spaniard. She was still angry, that was the only way to justify her actions. They entered the gym, and she was sorely disappointed. Azrael didn't know what she'd been expecting, but it wasn't this. The room was maybe the size of an average bedroom and hosted three treadmills, one bar for pull-ups and such, two yoga balls, and no bench press. Great.


--


Something about Bastien's grin sent a pleasant thrill through Daniel's entire body. Or maybe it was the drugs. Who knew? Probably both. Yeah, both. Daniel once again found himself leaning forward for a kiss, his body moving before his mind could register what was happening. A dull throbbing in his cheeks stopped him short, however, and it was certainly for the better. "Now then," he murmured sweetly. "What will it be, French girl or gymnast?"


--


Lady typically expected payment immediately following a session, but seeing as she had taken Surrana into her room and the girl not asking for Fate's intervention, she might just call in a favour instead if money. She restocked her card and placed them in a small glass box, humming the same cheerily discordant tube from earlier. So she had gone to big with the protection earlier. Then more subtle charms would be needed. She set to work on small herbal charms held together in squares of animal hide, tied off with leather cords. She would place them discreetly at the base if each door, and around the windowsills. No one would be able to complain about that.

 

[Blakie13]

Demetrio thanked God that someone was thinking of food. It could have been his imagination, but Azrael and Aurelio had looked like they left in exercise gear, Surrana was who knows where, and the others...well, Demetrio had not the faintest idea what the rest of them were up to. His stomach growled again. "Uh, sure, a grocery run would probably be a good idea. Mind...mind if I join, amiga? I need the fresh air...but I understand if you would rather I stay here. As for dinner...sounds fine to me. It's just now about..." he paused, looking once again at his clock. Only 5:23. "Hmm. Shopping first, and we set up a time for the others to meet at the restaurant? Bueno?"


It seemed a reasonable enough idea to him. Besides, he could get a light snack at the store to hold him over. Surrana was a late eater, Bastien and Daniel were probably still setting up their room, Asher needed a little more rest, probably, Lady was...doing her thing, and Azrael and Aurelio would be gone at least an hour if Demetrio was right about where they were going. He had checked out the gym in the building a little before registration day, during a tour of the campus. A little pathetic, for such a nice complex. The damn place had entertainment venues and restaurants, but God forbid the university gives it a nicer gym.


--


Aurelio didn't find the 'gym' to be all that accommodating, and from the look on Azrael's face, neither did she. "Amiga, is it just me...or is this gym disproportionately lame in comparison to the rest of the building complex?" There was no way he could complete his daily routine in this..this.. this closet. He sighed to himself. "We can work with it today, and find a better gym close by. Hopefully," he said, not all too sure about nearby gyms.


--


Bastien's face was tinged pink. Daniel had gotten awfully close to his face. He wouldn't repeat the same stunt twice today...would he? Coughing slightly, Bastien looked away, a little worried to meet the other male's eyes. "I'm going to say...gymnast. Mostly because I'd rather not disrespect my heritage with some corny joke," he said, chuckling lightly. Truthfully, Bastien knew he would be distracted as hell if he saw Daniel with so little clothing again. And he desperately hoped his brightening blush didn't give away his thoughts.


--


Surrana found herself back out in the common room, no one to keep her company but poor Asher. "Asher, where'd my roommate run off to? And where is everyone else?" She questioned, plopping herself down next to him. She wondered if she should go check on Daniel and Bastien, since she wasn't sure what they might be doing, but she would rather just let the dice fall where they may for the rest of the day. Plotting was tiring.

 

[cataleerc]

"Yes, good thinking. I think Asher just wants to sit for awhile, so it might just be you and I, if that's alright." Hero spoke while furiously scribbling down the large amount of food they would need. Everything. All the foods. All of them. Luckily for everyone in the house, Hero was actually a seasoned cook--pun intended--and knew what she needed. But this was a shared complex; different people had different food preferences. "Any food preferences for you or Aurelio? I'ma bit of a huge health but, so I don't typically go for sugary cereals or chips or anything. So tell me now before I totally forget that most people eat that stuff."


--


"So lame," Azrael agreed although she was already cranking up the speed on the treadmill. It increased gradually until her short legs were straining to keep up with the machine. Azrael's policy was that you would never get any stronger if you did not challenge your limits every day. The first stretch would be the hardest, but her muscles would stretch to accommodate until it felt like another run in the park.


--


"Ah, then for that," said Daniel , leaning back against the pillows once more, "we will need a proper gym--not a work-out gym--and a proper camera. No point-and-shoot nonsense. SLR." He smirked and winced, the high receding slowly but surely. His face hurt like a motherfucker, and Daniel seriously considered lighting another joint, but he only had a couple left. He needed to find a dealer. Soon.


--


Asher looked up from the empty glass he'd been silently brooding at. "Oh, she's in one of the rooms amassing a monumental shopping list as well as trying to rally the troops for dinner at The Pharmacy. Ever heard of it?" That was a stupid question. Chances were probably not unless she was local. And he couldn't quite remember if she was or not...

 

[Blakie13]

Demetrio thought for a moment. "Well, Bastien is a vegetarian, so no meat or fish for him. Not vegan, so dairy is fine. Aurelio only eats lean meats and fish, no beef or pork. Both are good with almost all fruits and vegetables, but Bastien has a strong dislike of zucchini, don't even ask. I'm a pescatarian, and I like things on the spicy side. Not much into sweets. Surrana doesn't care, so long as it's healthy. She does have a love of chocolate though, preferably dark..." Demetrio had to pause for a moment, realising that the more he spoke, the thicker his accent was becoming. He took a quick breath, and began again. "Lo siento. We will definitely need coffee for Bastien, along with some chamomile tea. He can't wake up in the morning without coffee, can't sleep without his tea. Surrana needs ginger ale and lots of kale and carrot related dishes. She's like a conejo with a sweet tooth. Bastien loves lots of herbs and savoury dishes. And tofu and soy, obviously. Aurelio won't care about drinks, and I don't much either. Although, we both certainly miss the lower drinking age in Spain..." Demetrio trailed off, wondering if anyone had some fake I.D.s to use. He also winced about at the realisation he had just bombarded Hero with information. I hope she managed to get all that...





--


Aurelio joined in, running on the treadmill next to Azrael's. His stomach protested in hunger, but he was sure the others were figuring food out and would let the two of them know soon enough. He was glad to have thought to bring his iPod down with him, and plugged his headphones in, setting his phone on the dashboard to watch for any messages or calls.


--


Bastien let loose a sigh of slight relief that Daniel leaned back. The heat in his cheeks cooled slightly, returning to merely a tinge of pink for the time. "Couldn't agree more. Oh...shit, did I pack my SLR... Hold on," he stated, getting up and searching through his things. The camera had been a graduation gift from his grandparents, but he wasn't sure he had packed it. He had been so excited to hear that his boyfriend and his twin would be in town before move-in day, that he had been rather quick with his packing. "Dammit. I don't see the thing in here. Hmm. Oh!"


Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed his phone. Scrolling through his contacts, he found the number he needed. He hit the dial tone, and waited for an answer. Finally, someone answered on the other side. "Hello?"


"Hey, Mom, do you happen to know if I left my camera at home? Really? Thanks, you're a life saver. Wait...Where are you, I hear waves. Oh. Well then. You could have told me earlier. Uh-huh. I love you too. Talk to ya later, Mom!" He hung his phone up, shaking his head and smiling at his mother's antics.


Turning back to Daniel, "We will have to give it a day or so, I left it at home, but my mom sent it to my campus mail address already when she saw I left it behind. It'll be here in a couple days, thank God," Bastien stated.


--


"Can't say that I have, but then again I don't usually come this far north. From Maryland, you see," Surrana said playfully. "Hmm, hope Demetrio or Bastien have me covered for my food choices.... Anyway. What are you doing out here, dontcha have stuff you could be doing?" She questioned innocently. She knew he was recovering from a panic attack, but he looked so bored out here by himself.

 

[cataleerc]

"And... Wine," Hero finished with a satisfied tap of the pen. "I learned short-hand," she explained to Demetrio's mild surprise. Many people would be unable to get through half that list, but she was an excellent multitasker. Her hands worked independently of her ears, allowing for speed.


"Okay, then I'll leave a note for everyone, then we'll go?"


--


Azrael stared enviously at the iPod as she ran, wondering for the hundredth time why she'd never gotten one. Oh, right. Money was a thing that she did not have, so no nice things.


--


"Or," Daniel smirked, "we could just use mine." He was an amateur photographer at best, certainly, but the didn't mean he couldn't have a nice camera to indulge in his hobbies.


--


"Oh, you will love it," Asher assured, bobbing his head in approval. "And I'm spending my time out here because it's quiet, and nobody else seems to want to break in the new couch. Figured I would."

 

[Blakie13]

Demetrio looked at the girl, blinking. That was...impressive. "Sure, I'll text Aurelio, and he can let Azrael know. We could just tell everyone when and where to meet as we're leaving, but whatever is easier, si?" He said, standing up from his seat on the bed. "After you, amiga," Demetrio stated, holding the door for Hero. As he closed the door behind him, he sent a quick text to Aurelio.


"Everyone's meeting up for dinner at The Pharmacy, at 7:30. Let Azrael know, yeah? -Dem"


--





Aurelio looked down at his phone as he saw a message flash. He read it, pulled out an ear plug, and turned to Azrael. "Hey, Azrael, we're all apparently meeting at some restaurant called la Farmaci- err, The Pharmacy. Sorry. At 7:30. De acuerdo?" He hoped she would be fine with that. It would be a good idea for everyone to cool down over dinner, make friends and all that jazz.


--


Bastien grinned in mild surprise. They weren't cheap cameras, but if Daniel knew enough about cameras to know SLRs were even a thing, it really shouldn't be that much of a shock to Bastien that Daniel had one. "Oh, sweet. No need to wait I guess. Hmm... any preference for the medium, once we have the shots of course. Let's see...I have pencil, ink, acrylic, watercolour...I guess a quick run to the supply shop would gain me some charcoal and pastels, if that's more to your taste," Bastien suggested, smiling at his roommate. He also might need to buy a few more canvases, he had only brought a few with him.


--


Surrana chuckled at Asher's statement. Funny guy, she had been right to include him in her mental shipping chart. Bastien loved a good sense of humour. "I see... Well, so long as I find some yummy food on the menu, I'm game. Here, you go break the news to Daniel and Bastien, I'll take your place breaking in the couch. My legs are oh-so weary, you know," Surrana said, eyelashes fluttering. Seeing the look on his face, she smirked, laughing slightly. "Just kidding, I'll go let Lady know, since I doubt the rest of you are brave enough to do so. Then I'll take your place on the couch. Deal?" She said, holding our her hand to shake on said deal.