Fandom The Mortal Toilet Bowl

[Paintedsky]

“I don't want to be a man," said Jace. "I want to be an angst-ridden teenager who can't confront his own inner demons and takes it out verbally on other people instead."


Private RP for Paintedsky and ibepeyton.


Apparently the title is a quote from the books. I couldn't think of anything witty enough on my own, alright?

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

(( For the sake of making it easier, let's just say we're in New York like in the books. ))


It had been a long trip from Idris for Eliza. She'd tried sleeping and dreaming, but that only proved to be more trouble than help. It was hard to close her eyes when all she could see was the pale faces of her parents, wide eyed, and open mouthed. She hadn't actually seen what they'd looked like when they had died, or even on the day of their funeral but it hadn't stopped her mind from conjuring up this horrible image. Sighing, Elizabeth looked out the window of a bright yellow taxi. The sun had just begun to rise and the smog of the city became more visible by the minute. People were running down the street in the rain, headed to work she supposed, and even though the windows were rolled up, she could smell the moisture on the pavement. It had been one of her favorite smells, but now all it did was make her sick.


Looked back into the cab of the car, Eliza sighed at the pitiful bag of items she'd brought with her. Some gear, her stele, and her clothes. It wasn't much of anything, but she'd figured most of what she needed would be provided for her in the Big Apple. Elizabeth didn't want to be here, already missing her home, but she knew that had she spent anymore time the way things were she would have gone crazy. So she grinned, pretended like everything was fine, and went skipping to New York. Her friends and what was left of her family had been worried about her, watching her shut down the way she had been. Elizabeth's mind was slipping back to her parents when she cab lurched to a stop and pulled her back.


Eliza couldn't help but be grateful to the cabbie for slamming on his breaks the way he had. Though she wondered, had it been someone else in the cad instead of her, would they have been angry? They were parked along the sidewalk, a large church looming to her right. The cab driver was staring at her, impatiently, and pointed at the meter. Eliza couldn't exactly pick out what he was telling her due to his heavy accent, but she gathered that he was asking about cab fare. Smiling as sweetly as she could muster in the dim morning light, Elizabeth handed him a twenty and slid out of the right side of the yellow vehicle. 'Thank yp-" She had started to say, but the driver pulled off almost instantly causing Eliza to have to slam the door to close it.


After staring at the cab speed off, Elizabeth turned to face the church. Swallowing hard, she looked down at her feet and then plastered on a smile. Trying to make it seem as genuine as she could. There were going to be several people here she didn't know, she guessed, and all Eliza wanted was to seem normal and be left alone. Walking up the steps, Elizabeth pushed the door open and stepped inside. With the door closed, all that lit the room was witchlight. "Hello?" She echoed into the darkness, someone was supposed to be meeting her here, weren't they?

 

[Paintedsky]

Something was sitting on Nithar's face.


The something in question was furry, kind of soft and squishy, and it was emitted a low, happy purr. It rubbed its face briefly down the bridge of his nose, rubbing its scent on him, before it straightened and began grooming itself. Its butt was carefully positioned right over Nath's mouth, so when he started groaning in protest, he got a mouthful of cat hair.


It was not the world's best wakeup call, and for Nath, not a wakeup call at all. The idea of displacing his furry friend seemed cruel, and really, why should he? From experience he knew he was perfectly capable of sleeping with or without a cat perched upon his features, and thus he simply closed his eyes, relaxed back into the mattress, and drifted off back to sleep.


When he awoke again, the cat was absent. Tilting his head to examine the clock beside his bed, he stared numbly for a moment, taking a while to register the digits blinking in red light there. Going by how early it was, it seemed unlikely that he had awoken naturally. So what had dragged him back out of sleep?


Sitting up, he frowned. In his dream, someone had just come crashing through a door, slamming it shut behind them loudly. From down below, he heard a distant echoing of "Hello?", which was so faint he thought that it might be the remnants of the dream. Then he remembered.


"Shit!" He cussed, falling out of bed and stumbling about the room, grabbing his things. He yanked a shirt off of the back of a chair, and then tumbled out of the doorway, hurrying downstairs whilst he did up his buttons, taking them two at a time. He was still in his underwear, one sock, and his hair could give Albert Einstein a run for his money, but he really didn't have time to deal with that. The others had given him one job, one job to do, and he'd already screwed it up. Whilst they buggered off and did important shadow hunter things, he'd been left in charge of welcoming the new girl when she arrived, showing her round and all that jazz. One simple, easy job.


Dammit, he thought, Payton must have been trying to wake me up. Stupid cat.





Skidding across the floor of the entrance, Nath spotted the girl just as he finished buttoning up his shirt, panting slightly and flushed in the face from his mad dash to find her. "Hi," he called out breathlessly, jogging up to meet her, dishevelled appearance and all. Holding out a hand, he plastered a grin on anyway and hoped he could somehow pull this off. "Welcome to the institute."

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

Elizabeth jumped in the dark, when the elevator doors opened. Someone who was tall in the dark came at her, but she knew it to be another Shadowhunter for it was consecrated ground they stood on. When her eyes adjusted to the person before her she realized that yes, it was another Shadowhunter, the runes scrawled over her pale skin told her as much. He was holding his hand out to her, but she did not reach to shake it. Right now she was shocked at the beauty of the man before her. When she'd realized she was staring she gave a start and looked away. "H-hello." Eliza cursed herself for stuttering, and wondered if this man knew about her what every other Nephilim did.


Trying to lose the thought, Eliza looked over to the elevator, "I suppose you are not the head of the Institute?" She asked, and looked back to the man who had put his hand down and was yawning. He wasn't put together, his shirt crumpled and hair standing on end. Surely someone more put together than he would be the one leading this large place. Not only had his appearance thrown her off the idea, but the fact that he was not a woman also told him otherwise.


Again, the man yawned, and Elizabeth guessed she had just woken him up. The doors had been heavy, and shut loudly when she let them swing closed behind her. He wasn't making a move to lead her anywhere, so she grabbed up her pathetic bag of belongings, and went toward the elevator. The way she walked was with grace, she had been told. Though, if you were to ask her, Eliza would have said she felt like a drunk hippo slamming about. Her long brown hair swung around behind her, letting off the smell of lilies and vanilla as she went. It had been her mothers favorite perfume, and she wore it every day. But it was almost gone now, and Elizabeth hadn't the slightest idea where she would be able to get more.

 

[Paintedsky]

Nithar supposed his complete lack of authority must be rather obvious; after all, just look at him. With a self-depreciative smile he gave a slight nod in confirmation of the girl's suspicions. His mind was too foggy from sleep to process anything properly in that moment, so he was slow to respond, covering a yawn and trying not to look like he was about to zone out again. He watched her as she walked to the elevator, caught up in the grace of her movements and the strange atmosphere that surrounded her. Call it a sixth sense or just experience, but he'd grown rather talented in picking up when someone was troubled. Beautiful as she was - heart-stoppingly so - Nath could feel that same sadness enshroud her like a carefully concealed cloak, and that alone was enough to wake him up enough to move.


Removing his one sock so he looked a little less hodgepodge, and shaking a hand through his hair to tame it, he followed her into the elevator. It smelt faintly of vanilla and a hint of something floral, pleasant and relaxing. Since he'd been on cleaning duty that week, he knew it couldn't be from the institute itself, and thus looked to the girl as the source. The gentle scent seemed befitting of the girl beside him, with her soft, inviting features and silky hair. It left Nath feeling even more disorderly than before, and in a moment of self-consciousness he smoothed down the shirt and tried to work a parting into his hair.


"Sorry about the, urgh, attire," he said with an awkward half smile, looking down at himself. Still, it was too early in the morning to manage any proper embarrassment. Leaning back against the wall, he took the opportunity of their isolation to study their new recruit. He could imagine her fitting in perfectly well. "Nithar, by the way," he said as a form of introduction, giving her a two-fingered small wave. "You're Eliza, right? I think I actually half paid attention when they discussed your arrival. Shame I missed the time that you were supposed to be coming at, hence the crappy welcome party." Yawning again, because god dammit it wasn't even the afternoon yet, he smiled sleepily and stretched up onto his tiptoes to try force himself to wake up. "The others are all out partying with various residents from the Void and what not. They ought to be back soon though to say hi."

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

Eliza couldn't help but let herself smile for a moment, but when she'd realized what she was doing she quickly stopped. There wasn't going to be anyone here, not even a handsome man, to make her let her guard down. Elizabeth knew from experience that when people got too close-- whether they meant to or not-- would eventually leave you or hurt you. Or if you were Eliza, they wold eventually do both. She wasn't lucky in that department, her love life was null after her last attempt and her parents had been killed. There was nothing that anyone would do to make her open up. Nothing.


While she had been thinking about it, her jaw set squarely. Her shoulders were back now in a more tough demeanor than they had been before and her hands were clenched. "Well, I was expecting a big to-do considering....what happened, but I'm glad what I got was someone who doesn't seem to care either way," She said with a shrug, and shortly after the door's slid open and she stepped out. Elizabeth was sure that he was aware of why she was sent here. It seemed that anyone she came across was, but if he weren't by some odd chance, she wasn't going to explain it to him.


Turning on her heels, before Nath could say anything to her, Elizabeth spoke with a sort of detachment that most people would have found rather well...bitchy. "I'm tired and don't want to do any of this, so I assume that I'm free to take any empty room that I please." Which was true, her grandparents had informed her of some of the things to expect. And with that she turned and started stalking off. The witchlight in the halls made everything look ghostly and for a moment it made her feel that way too. Eliza hadn't stopped to check to see if Nath had been following her, not that she cared really, and made it to her room. It was large inside her room, though she understood that all rooms were this way, and it wasn't anything unique. It was fine by her, eventually it would be her own because she planned on spending plenty of time in there.

 

[Paintedsky]

A big to-do? Nithar worried momentarily that he was indeed supposed to have organised something such as that for her, but he was pretty sure that his half-remembered instructions said no such thing. Or, as sure as you can be with half-remembered instructions.


Watching her stalk off, Nath got the impression he had somehow upset her or triggered a bad memory, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He could ask her later, when she was no longer so fresh on the scene, and perhaps if he felt she needed it. Considering how he'd been half-conscious when he and the other shadow hunters had received a lecture on their new arrival, he had probably missed something important, something that might clue him in on her changing moods and sudden coolness.


Returning to his own room, leaving her time to unpack and such, Nithar stripped down and took a well-needed shower, finally awake by the end. He then changed into some decent clothes, attempted to tame his hair with a comb, and went to check that Eliza had settled in alright. As he did, he heard the sound of the door slamming shut from below, and the muted voices of loud conversation rising up from the ground floor. Judging by the harsh tones and bravado, they were arguing again, which always seemed to be the way whenever they returned from a hunt without Nath; he more often than not ended up serving as peacekeeper. Grinning, he picked up the pace.


Upon reaching Eliza's door, he knocked, waited long enough to allow her to be decent were she not, and then swung his head round the door, grinning crookedly. "The others are back if you'd like to have your inevitable meet and greet session?"

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

After Elizabeth had gotten to her room, she'd changed into something fresh, a lilac top and a pair of shorts. She'd been looking through her small bag of things, but stopped when a framed photo surfaced. It was of her parents and she instantly felt like crawling up into a ball and dying. Tears had flooded her eyes and she threw herself down on her bed. Had she been more coherent Eliza would have noticed that this bed was stiff, and didn't smell the same as her bed back in Idris. But right now, she didn't care all she could focus on was trying to be quiet with her tears. Right now, she remembered what it was like to be out with her friends, and come home to find that her parents had passed. They'd been out on a call, trying to figure out which underworlds were killing humans in London. Things had gotten out of control and well...here she was.


People had come from all over to celebrate her parent's lives. Friends, family, even some Downworlders had come. They all wore white as was custom, but Elizabeth hadn't gone. She wondered if she'd regret it later on, when the pain wasn't so in her face, prodding at her and shutting her down. She buried her face into a pillow and cried.


It had been a good half an hour before her body gave in and she fell asleep. The photo was clutched to her chest, and her eyes were puffy from crying. The room hadn't changed much for except that the outfit she'd been wearing before was lying on the floor. When Nath knocked on the door she only stirred and mumbled something under her breath. Her hair was fanned out across her pillow, almost like chocolate on a marshmallow.

 

[Paintedsky]

Poking his head round the door, Nithar found Eliza asleep on her bed. At first glance she seemed peaceful, her hair fanning out, breathing quietly and mumbling something in response. He was about to leave her there to rest when he noticed the red colouring to her eyes, and the tear stains on her cheeks, along with the damp patches on her pillow slowly drying out. This at least confirmed what he'd essentially known all along, but it didn't stop him from feeling sympathy for her.


Watching her for a moment longer, he noticed the photograph clutched to her chest, although he couldn't make out the figures present in it. Momentarily, he considered stepping closer to examine it, but didn't want to pry; her problems were her problems, and she'd share them if she was ready. Tapping his fingers on the door, he lingered a while and then left, closing the door being him with care.


Downstairs, he found the other two present, bickering amongst themselves. Their valiant leader was absent, probably having fled the back and forth bitching of the two young adults, and Nithar couldn't say he blamed her.


The two shadow hunters stood before him were both his best friends, and the biggest morons he knew. The tallest was a girl named Iris, with a bright shock of ginger hair that was expertly wrapped up in plaited coils around her head. She was well-built, as she really had to be for her heritage, and was undeniably beautiful, although Nithar had never been able to view her as anything more than a friend. The same was true for her; she had regularly informed him that, to her, he held the same amount of sex appeal as a potato. She had then gone on to assure him that was a compliment.


The boy on the other hand was lithe, dark skinned, and prone to flirting with anything and anyone. He had a curly head of black hair bleached and dyed purple, and his face was littered with various piercings and black eyeliner. He was called Karl, and had just gotten out of a phase where he insisted that everyone refer to him as 'Carlos' in a thick and husky spanish accent. Nithar adored them both, but also had no problem with calling them idiots.


"That was my kill," Iris said as she cleaned off the blade of her weapon, which was coated in some foul black liquid.


"You were just too slow," Karl responded, grinning to himself as he hung his bow up for the day, putting down his quiver and leaning it against the wall.


"I see you're up," Iris noted, spotting Nath as he approached them and smiling a perfect Cheshire cat grin. "You look like hell. Is the new girl really that draining?"


"We all know Nath always looks like hell in the mornings," Karl said, coming to the new girl's defence. "No wonder the girl's not here to say hi, he probably scared her off."


"She's asleep upstairs," Nath explained, smiling in good-humour at their quips. "Did something happen to her by the way? She seems a bit… troubled."


"That's rich, coming from you," Iris remarked, sheathing her sword once the blade was wiped clean.


"Also, weren't you listening during the intro session?" Karl said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Her parents just died. Sheesh Nath, I seriously worry about you sometimes. You didn't do something to trigger her, did you?"


"Nothing like that," Nath assured him. "She just seemed a bit upset, that's all."


"Upset or not, we'll have to meet her some time," Iris said, straightening out her clothes, which were spattered with black dots. "Come on, let's go wake sleeping beauty. She's expected at the meeting in an hour. You too, Nath."

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

Elizabeth didn't sleep long. A nightmare, per the norm, had seeping into her mind and scared her awake. She'd started sweating slightly, but her room was cool enough that she didn't look like it. Sighing, Eliza put ran a hand through her long hair and set her photo frame on her nightstand table. There were two beautiful people in the frame smiling at her, but all she could see is the image her mind created of their dead bodies. Frowning, she pushed herself from bed and went into the bathroom to freshen up.


After she was done with that, she wondered if she needed to leave. People expected her to be some what normal here Eliza supposed. So, it wasn't going to kill her to try. The only thing she refused to do was let anyone in. No one was going to get close to her she refused. Looking herself over in the mirror once more, she slipped out into the dimly lit hallway. It had lost some of it's ghostly appeal that she'd noticed earlier that morning. It was more comforting now than before and she found herself smiling slightly at the feeling.


Eliza pushed herself down that hall, wondering where everyone. She'd been under the impression that this was one of the more busy Institutes. But right now, she seemed to be the floors only occupant. Elizabeth kept walking until she found a set of large double doors. She knocked but no one replied, so she opened the doors. Just as she'd guessed, there was a large library behind the dark wood. "Wow..." She breathed. Books were always something she'd loved, and not even the death of her parents would take that from her. Looking around, Eliza's bright blue eyes were wide with anticipation and excitement. Walking in she climbed a set of narrow stairs and pulled our a leather bound book. The title was faded gold text that read 'A Tale of Two Cities'. It had always been her favorite, and she was glad that there had been a copy among the thousands of books before her. She slid down against the shelving and opened the book to the first page. Eagerly Elizabeth drank in the words on the pages, just as someone might drink in the features of their favorite person.

 

[Paintedsky]

Arriving at Eliza's room, the three shadow hunters found it to be empty. "This is one slippery fish to catch," Karl said slowly, stroking an imaginary beard.


"Shut it Karl, you know you sound like an idiot when you try to be a wise old man," Iris told him, whacking him lightly on the arm. "Let's split up and look for clues. Nath, you search this floor, me and the old man will search the rest."


"Do we get a Scooby snack if we win?" Karl asked dryly, wearing a dry grimace.


A punch to Karl's face later, Nath was looking in the various rooms on the floor, in no real rush. The other two had gone off to search the rest of the institute, still bickering when last he saw them. Whilst he loved them both, it was pleasant to be away from them, and he was glad for the addition of Eliza. Elusive she may be, but loud she was not; or at least, she hadn't seemed it when they'd met. He was grateful for someone else who wasn't involved in Iris and Karl's constant back and forth, and to have someone with so calming a presence here. He just hoped that the Institute would help her in dealing with her parents' death in return.


Musing to himself over the possibility of abandoning his duties and going to find some breakfast, he wandered into the library, glancing about. He nearly left when spotted her, absorbed in a book, already fitting in perfectly amongst her surroundings. Whilst Nath generally upheld the rule of never bothering a person who was reading, the other two would never let him live it down if he just left her there. Sighing, he stepped closer, ducking down to catch the title of her book. "A Dickens fan?" He asked, surprised to see what she was reading. He'd expected something… well, he wasn't sure, something lighter perhaps, less, well, Dickens. Judging by how absorbed she seemed in the novel, he'd clearly been wrong.

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

It wasn't hard for Eliza to get lost in a good book. This being her favorite it had seemed that that whole world had melted away. But a presence new to the room was drawing her back. When he spoke she jumped and slammed the book closed. He'd been quiet, and whilst her guard was down she hadn't heard him enter the room. Even with the doors being as heavy and loud as they were. Sunlight was pouring into the room and so it wasn't hard to see Nath standing down a floor from her, looking up. Again she noticed how handsome he was, the light striking him in some sort of artistic way. But she snapped out of it, feeling her cheeks flush.


"I guess you could say that," Eliza mused, and pushed herself to her feet. "Are we allowed to take books out of here? I'd like to take this one back to my room," She'd explained leaning over the railing. Her hair hung down past her shoulders now, gravity taking effect. 'A Tale of Two Cities' was dangling off the edge in one of her dainty pale hands, one finger slipped between the pages to keep her place. Though, she probably didn't need the book anymore, since she could quote most of it.


Her mind trailed from the book and Elizabeth found herself wondering what Nath was like. He seemed not to care too much about others or his surroundings, but she couldn't help but wonder if there were more to him than met the eye. Of course, there were people who were all that you could see, but sometimes--in the most wonderful of people-- there were cracks, tears, worn edges, and many things to be learned. She knew this because she was one of them herself. Someone who was not whom she seemed to be on the outside. Smirking, Eliza slipped quickly down the stairs and was looking directly at Nath now, her bright eyes glimmering in the sunlight, "Do you read?" She asked.

 

[Paintedsky]

Watching her, noticing her jump and apologising mentally, Nithar smiled at her comment. "Of course you can take books out, so long as someday you intend on bringing them back. Thankfully, there's no return date, so you don't have to worry about overdue library books whilst battling creatures of the underworld," he said, speaking warmly, for he was glad for the change in conversation. Neither Iris nor Karl were stupid, he knew that well, but they both detested reading. Both cited having better things to do, and the few times he had tried to force them to read something, they had given up after the first few pages, flinging the books across the room in a dramatic flare. It was the one thing they stood united on, and Nithar despaired of them for it.


Looking up at her, he went to lean against the table in the middle of the room, content to wait to call the others as late as possible. She just looked perfectly serene and almost arty hung there, her hair draping down from her head, caught in the sunlight. He wasn't normally a romantic - or at least, not in the sense that meant he 'checked out babes' as such with any frequency - but there was a hypnotic beauty about her that made him look, made him pay attention. She was, in the most subtle and elegant way, beautiful. What a creature such as her was doing in a place like this, he didn't know; or more, he did, but wished it wasn't the case. The death of her parents must have hurt her in more ways than she was letting on, or there was no way she'd end up in a place like this. It was home to him, but it was hardly heaven.


"It's hard not to when you live fifty metres away from all of this," he answered, gesturing to the vast collection of books, covering every genre, every historical event, supernatural or human. Looking down at the table, tracing his finger over the grooves in the wood, he smiled to himself. "This is by far my favourite room in this place. It doesn't really feel like it belongs. Or more, it feels like an escape from the rest of it." Frowning, he laughed at himself. "Yeah, that sounded less stupid in my head."

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

Eliza couldn't help but smile at his words, this room was in itself a small little heaven. But she didn't understand why someone wouldn't like to spend time here, in this place. Of course she didn't want to be here, but that was for another reason entirely. "Books hold other worlds..." Eliza began, looking around the room wistfully, "...I don't think it would matter where you are, books have the power to take you out of any setting and put you into a new one." She said and walked over to the table Nath was leaning on. There was blank paper on a pad behind him and she leaned down, grabbing it. Quickly she detached a sheet and folded it twice, fashioning a book mark so that she could pull her finger free from the pages and hold the book to her chest.


"People told me this place was large, but I didn't think this large." Eliza mentioned. Looking over at the main doors she frowned. There were other people walking about and talking now. She supposed these were the very people that Nath had mention earlier. They'd been gone, and the lack of noise she'd liked. But these people, whomever they were, bickered like a old married couple. It was clear this was routine for when she looked back at Nath the look on his face told her so. "I'm guessing those are some friends...?" Elizabeth inquired. Fortunately they didn't stop or come through the doors. Their voice got close and then retreated again as they disappeared down the hall.


For a moment, Eliza had the urge to go to them. To meet them and befriend them, but she mentally scolded herself for even thinking it. When you got close to someone you only ever got hurt. The initial happiness was not worth the pain later. At least, that's what she wanted to believe. Frowning at herself she glanced back at Nath who was looking at her and she flushed again.

 

[Paintedsky]

"I fear," Nath said slowly, "you just summed books up perfectly, and have thus out poetic-ed me. Normally it falls to me to try and say things that at least sound intelligent, but I fear you may steal my crown." He gave her a wistful smirk, before glancing at the door to the library, hearing the other two pass. Eshhh…. he really was not eager for them to interrupt the moment, enjoying the company of Eliza and Eliza alone, but the moment could not last forever. Besides, Karl and Iris had the wonderful talent for distracting anyone from something they were worried or troubled by, quite simply with the force of their personalities, and perhaps that was what Eliza needed. Considering she was hiding away in libraries already - an escape he knew well and understood - some numbing company might be exactly what she needed.


"The other two shadow hunters who live here; Karl and Iris," Nath explained, resisting an eye roll as he said their names. "They… are friendly enough. Don't get put off by their bitching; they tend to save it for one another." Exhaling, he stepped away from beside her and the table, sad to leave the moment of closeness behind, having found her presence rather soothing. They were shadow hunters though; they wouldn't be doing their jobs if everything in their life was merely soothing. "Iris, Karl, I found her," he called, leaning out the library door.


Sure enough, within a few short minutes the pair returned, eagerly spilling into the library to examine this new recruit. "Hi," they said in unison, eyes wide with curiosity. Nath grimaced somewhat at how intense they were being straight off of the bat, but he knew it was just something you got used to; he'd even come to like how… exuberant they could be. "They never said the new girl would be cute," Karl said, before receiving a hard whack on the arm from Iris.


"Ignore him, all that hair dye has fucked with his brain," Iris said quickly, smiling her usual hello-new-person bright greeting smile and walking forward, holding out a hand for Eliza to take. "I'm Iris, and bird brain over there is Karl." She looked Nath over, giving a smile smile before returning her gaze to Eliza. "I see you have already met the lovely Nath. I am so, so sorry he had to be your welcoming committee. Was he actually awake for any of it?"

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

Something about these two, when they came crashing in, excited Eliza. There was something about the way they walked and talked that made it clear to her that they were happy to be living their lives. Cheerful with anything and everything they could possibly be cheery about. Without being able to help it Elizabeth smiled at Iris, taking her hand a moment after she'd extended it. "Nice to meet you, I'm Eliza," She introduced herself and then smiled over at Karl who was staring at her with a weird sort of expression. She looked back at Nath then to Iris again, "I do wonder if he wasn't just sleep walking," She admitted, smirking. It was the first real emotion she'd given, and she was happy for it. Maybe if she let herself have some fun only for a moment...


"To be honest, I thought he might be some sort of homeless man who'd found his way inside," It was a joke, her tone light. Eliza glanced back at Nath and gave him a genuine smile to let him know she was only teasing. Hopefully they'd find it funny rather than taking offense that the new girl was cracking wise ones. "But really, he was pleasant...though I can't say I was the same...." Her voice trailed off and she stepped back from the group. This introduction had suddenly become very overwhelming for her and she was uncomfortable. To quickly change the subject she turned on Nath, "You were...you were going to show me the green house on the roof....right?" Elizabeth hoped he would just play along, but there was no real telling what he'd do.


All Eliza wanted now was an escape and some fresh air. Fresh air would be her salvation now, and maybe if she included Nath he could ward off anymore overly excited meetings for awhile. They were nice people from what she could tell, but over baring and Eliza had already had enough. Eventually, she thought, she would get used to their demeanor and maybe even come to enjoy it. But now? That was not one of those times.

 

[Paintedsky]

Laughing outright, having no shame whatsoever in her emotions, Iris grinned at Eliza before glancing back at Karl. "It's okay, she's one of the funny ones. Make a note that we like her, so that I don't forget." Looking back at Eliza, Iris gave her a soft pat on their joined hands before releasing them. Nath watched, and was instantly glad these were his friends; brash as they were, their friendship with him had finely tuned them to the sensitivities of other people, and they knew when someone was feeling pressured. Iris gave Nithar a pointed look, raising an eyebrow. "Oh I see, cutting us out of the game are we? Not good enough for you, huh?" Grinning wickedly, she made a show out of turning in a dramatic huff, marching out of the library, grabbing Karl by the arm and dragging him with her. "Come on Karl, we know when we're not wanted! Let us away, and mark the day when we were scorned! A curse on both your houses!"


Watching them leave with a mix of despair and amusement, Nath gave into the urge to roll his eyes and then shook his head, exhaling. "I… I'm sorry about them. And again about how ravishingly I was dressed this morning. Not the first time I've been mistaken for the homeless, but still." Looking her over, he was glad she seemed to have had enough of Iris and Karl already, judging by her expression. Not that he was trying to screw them over, he just had a feeling they might be a bit overwhelming when it came down to settling into a new place.


"Let's go look around the greenhouse that I promised to show you then," he said with a small smile, allowing her to know he was amused more than anything else by her white lie. Leaving the library, he led the way to the greenhouse up on the roof, content to linger in a moment of quiet for a while, glad for it after Iris's theatrics. "I get it, by the way," he said when they reached the door, glancing back at her. "Why you weren't all sunshine and rainbows when you got here. And it's fine. I mean- yeah. I didn't mind or anything, in case you were worried you had emotionally traumatised me."

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

For a moment Eliza blinked after her new found acquaintances and frowned, but realized it had been more of a show than anything genuine. So she shrugged and looked over to Nath who'd mention the greenhouse. She flushed at her own little fib and started for the door, "It's just...I've gathered they are a bit over baring where ever they choose to go, an I thought it would be rude of me to just...up and leave." She said with a slight shrug. Her head had begun pounding, but she pushed it back and tried to keep her footing steady.


When they were on their way to the greenhouse Nath mentioned something that she wished he hand't. "Can we not mention that please, like ever?" She asked quickly, cutting off the topic of going any further. She'd gone pale but gave a sad sort of smile anyway, "I didn't really think you looked homeless," Eliza told him, giving a kind of apologetic look. "Though you did look like you got in a fight with your bed," Eliza told him and brushed past him when the door was opened. The room was a site for sore eyes, as it reminded her much of her gardens from home, though it was much muggier here than it would have been in Idris.


"it's wonderful," Elizabeth said a little breathlessly, and she walked over to a bench and sat down. The room had begun to spin slightly, but she ignored it and focused on the bright colors around them. "I think I might be spending quite a bit of time in here," She admitted and leaned over to smell a purple flower that was growing just to the left of her. "I love lilacs..." Elizabeth murmured sadly before leaning back again, this time putting her chin in her hands with her elbows resting on her knees. Normally she would have forced a smile now, but she wasn't feeling well, and everything around her reminded her of something she'd rather have forgotten.

 

[Paintedsky]

Laughing at her comment about his fight with the bed, Nath gave a half nod in agreement. He had not meant to upset her by joking around about her comments, but the change in her expression suggested that he had. Still, she had asked him not to mention it, so with a sigh and a smile he said, "Honestly, I look like I've fought with my bed most of the time, and Iris and Karl have no problem commenting on it. As the latest addition to the Institute, this is now a liberty you're perfectly allowed to take advantage of." Then he too changed the topic, looking around at the beauty of the green house. "It is beautiful, isn't it?" He agreed, smiling. However, the comparison between this small snatch of the ideal and Idris was humbling, to say the least. "But it's not quite home."


Stepping in, he walked by himself for a moment, looking at the flowers, gently brushing his fingertips against their petals. The room was at once both calming and strangely saddening, although he'd never been able to place why. The beauty of it, and the isolation, all had the ability to stir emotion, and with that he supposed came the nostalgia for home. "It's a good place to read, too," he said, taking a seat beside her on the bench. He leaned forward, his arms resting over his knees, and he titled his head back to look up at the flowers hanging above them. "Plus I can guarantee you that the other two don't come here often, so if you're looking for peace and quiet, it's perfect," he added with a teasing smirk, glancing briefly a her. She fit in well amongst the garden of flowers, as she had in the library. Her upbringing in Idris was obvious, although he couldn't quite define it; those who had been raised there just seemed to possess a certain internal glow.


Squaring his head, he noted how she seemed put out by something, her smile, be it genuine or forced now absent, and that same gravity of mourning cloaked her again. He nearly asked her if she was alright, but he already knew the answer. Of course she wasn't. She was here for god's sake, and what had happened to her was unchangeable now. So instead, with care to speak softly so as not to pressure her, he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?" And he knew the meaning of his question would be obvious.

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

Eliza hadn't moved until he spoke finally. Nath had brought something up that she'd just asked him not to, but she didn't blame him. He seemed genuine in his concern, that he did want to be a friend and let her talk about it. The only problem was; was that she did not want to talk about it in the slightest. She didn't want to tell him about her nightmares or even about how whenever she closed her eyes all she saw was their gaping mouths and glassy eyes. Elizabeth had tried to keep her body language the same, but it hadn't quite worked for her. her shoulders had tightened and her expression became slightly more contorted.


Before Eliza could get anything out however, they were the elevator doors slide open with a grind. She wondered in Iris or maybe even karl had followed them up there. Groaning inwardly she looked in the direction they'd come in and was frowning. She didn't have the energy for either of them at this moment let alone her new found companion at her side. But, when they rounded the corner Elizabeth was surprised to see someone new.


There was a man there now, the same age it seemed as Nath, and he was similar to him in the fact that he was gorgeous. Though the former statement was true, Eliza noticed, this man was gorgeous in a different way. He wasn't painfully beautiful like Nath, but had a sort of cool air about him. Like this was someone who turned all heads as he walked into the room, someone people expected to be a player. He had a cat like look in his eyes, coy and alert. There was something about him that Eliza didn't like, but now she couldn't place it. He was the type of person who demanded attention without really doing much but walking into the room. "I thought I heard the new girl was here," He said and smirked, giving Nath cocky wink.


Something told Elizabeth that these two didn't like each other much. The air seemed to have gotten heavier just upon this other man's arrival.

 

[Paintedsky]

At first Nath was sorry he'd asked, she clearly didn't want to talk about it and asking had only triggered bad memories. As he was composing a half decent apology, however, he was interrupted by the sound of the elevator doors opening.


Well fucking great.


This asshole.


Stiffening at the new arrival's presence, Nath tried not to seem antagonistic, tried not to hate the man before him. They were, after all, old friends. More than that, in many ways. Yet time had passed and times had changed, and now instead of grinning whenever he entered the room, Nithar felt a sickening twist in his stomach.


Alexandre Roberts was gorgeous, but evil. He wasn't even french, that was just how he spelt his name, it was on his birth certificate and everything. Why that hadn't warned Nath sufficiently, he didn't know, he didn't like the idea of distrusting someone at first sight. If he should have broken that rule at all, he should have done it for Alex. Their past was a shit storm in itself, although they were supposed to be on good terms now.


Charming, good-looking, and confident, Alex had wooed and broken more hearts than Magnus Bane himself. Iris, who was normally smart about these things, had been one of these seduced and abandoned victims. Karl had nearly punched Alex into the afterlife for it, thus they had been deemed equal and a peace treaty was metaphorically drawn up, but still. They were all still holding their individual grudges.


"You'd vanished before I could tell you," Nithar said as pleasantly as he could manage, standing on automatic. He tried his best to keep his body language from seeming defensive; he knew Alex got off on it. Didn't make it easy though. "Elizabeth, this is Alex. Alex, Elizabeth."

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

"Alex," Eliza nodded in his direction only standing a moment after Nath did. She probably wouldn't have, but it seemed important to him so she copied. There was a definite air about them, something old, something that told her not to get involved but there was something about the two of them that drew her in. Something that wanted to befriend them both, to be close to them. The thought however made her heart wretch. There was nothing more in the world she didn't need than to be close to someone. "You know..." Eliza started, giving Nath a look before looking back to Alex, "I've heard a lot about you." She said and leaned her weight onto one slender hip.


"You're supposed to be a heart breaker, the real jerk type," Elizabeth said matter of fact. This seemed to please Alex, as it had. It was rare that anyone ever talked to him this way. Saw right through him the moment they met him. She clearly wasn't charmed as much as he'd hoped, because there was something in his eyes that faltered before they went back to the their cat like coy.


"That may be something that people say, but I'm not the only one here with a frequent love life," Alex said and looked over to Nath with a smirk. Elizabeth didn't know if that were true, being that she hardly knew him, but there was something in her that stirred when she heard it. It was a mix between confusion and....jealousy? Eliza felt her cheeks flush and she turned her head to the side slightly. "I would imagine," Eliza began turning to lock her icy eyes on Alex, "That the women Nath chooses to be with, are potential mates, not just conquests to be made." Her arms folded across her chest now she made a face that showed confidence. This seemed to bother Alex because his expression darkened.

 

[Paintedsky]

Nath couldn't communicate aloud how relieved he was that Eliza didn't blush and bat her lashes like the rest, not without humiliating everyone present, but he smiled inwardly at it. There was a mix of satisfaction and pride in his carefully masked smile; why he felt pride for Eliza being so competent, he couldn't say. He barely knew her after all. Still, he felt it all the same. Especially since she then went on to sass him to high heaven.


Looking steadily back at Alex, Nath listened to the accusations, his throat tightening in response. Before he could defend himself, however, Eliza spoke for him. He couldn't help a smirk play on his lips at the term 'potential mates', but he tried to communicate with his eyes to Eliza how grateful he was for the defence. "Oh yeah? Then how come all his potential mates have gone running, hmm?" Alex countered, and his sleek, cocky act faltered slightly as his tone became petulant and bitchy. He gave Nath a condescending smirk, straightening as he returned to his previous cool, calm persona. "Perhaps I am a heart breaker. Least I'm capable of it."


Stepping forward so that he was stood close to Eliza, violating all kind of personal space rules for two people who had just met, he looked her steadily in the eyes. "You can cry up here with him all you like, but when you want to actually have some fun, come call my name." He then blew her a kiss, winking, and turned on his heel. "Oh yeah, and we're being called for 'the meeting' by the way," he drawled without looking back at them, flipping them off with two fingers.


Exhaling slowly, Nath watched him leave, feeling mentally exhausted from the encounter. He wanted to tell Eliza that everything was lies, and to thank her for what she'd said, but all of a sudden he was too tired. His throat was too tight, and he didn't know what there was to say. She had been brave ad valiant, and all he could do was stand there. "Let's go," he said quietly, eyes averted, following after the path Alex had traced.

 

[Jelly x Filled x Donut]

There was something that people always said of her, when she felt something, she didn't stop until it was known. Didn't let people push her around, and Alex was going to be no different. Quickly and without word, she went after Alex, reaching him before he would even press the elevator button. her foot went out and hit him in the back of his knee hard enough to knock him down when he wasn't paying attention. She leaned down her his shoulder now, her hands on his shoulders. The two of them would be friends, Eliza had decided but right now, her anger and protectiveness was taking over.


"You know, you should never talk to a lady the way you have." She whispered to him, the amusement clear in her own voice. She pressed down on his shoulders and Alex shook her hands away. It was clear that she was getting to him, and even though she normally wouldn't have, Eliza couldn't help but feeling satisfied in that fact. "Now you see, Nath is my friend, as new as that may be, but I would rather spend all my time with him than five more with you right now," She told him and stepped back. Without words, Alex stalked off into the elevator and let the doors slide closed, glaring at her as they did so.


"Wh-what is his problem?" Eliza asked, breathlessly. She was wobbling on her feet, her expression that had been confident wavered now. Her skin gave of a sickly green glow and she started slipping down to the floor. It had been days since she'd slept or ate much of anything because when she shut her eyes it was horror, which in turn took away her appetite. Dealing with Alex had drawn what ever else of her energy she'd had left.

 

[Paintedsky]

(Sorry RPN shut me out last night)


Watching on with nothing short of awe as Eliza went and beat up Alex, Nath stood there stock still as she called Alex out on his bullshit without fear or hesitating. By god, he thought he might be in love.


Shaking his head minutely to dismiss that thought, he grinned all the same, because he'd met demons less scary than this girl. She was just slightly more attractive though, and a hell of a lot better type of scary. Still, he made a mental note to not get on her bad time any time soon. Fortunately for him, she actually called him her friend, and he felt a lightness in his chest in response. All at once the morose morbidity he'd felt vanished, and he couldn't stop himself from grinning because seven hells, this girl was good.


He was just composing a witty answer to her question when she began to wobble, paling and turning quite literally green in the face. Quick on his feet given his occupation, Nath caught her before she hit the floor, taking her weight and steadying her without a second thought. Panic hit him, but he pushed it back; she was ill, or merely faint, not dying.


His sense of comedy gone, he shifted his hold on her and picked her up. His lifestyle had been kind enough to make him strong, and he carried her with ease, calling the elevator. Looking down at her, he frowned in concern, brushing her hair out of her face with two fingers. He'd seen it before in the grieving, a loss of appetite and sleep eventually making them sick. Yet again, he felt the twist of sympathy in his stomach, wishing he could help her more than post-fainting, but even if she had called him her friend, he had only known her a few short hours.


You're doing it again, he told himself as he stepped into the elevator when it arrived, hurriedly pressing the button to the floor of her room. Stop trying to take on other people's pain. But even as he told himself that, over and over, he couldn't help trying. This girl was gentle, brave, strong, and she didn't deserve to be broken by tragedy and pain. He might be too far gone, but perhaps he could help her, if she needed him, if she wanted it. Carrying her down the corridor, back to her room, and laying her down on her bed, he exhaled. He wanted to help.