Helping the Helpless (Alanna)

[Oliver Barnes]

The retreat hadn't gone as smoothly as Oliver had hoped.

There was the huge confrontation with AJ that had led the quiet boy to run away, like he always did for his problems. He tried to avoid the inevitable storm of emotions, pain and conflict that revisiting his past brought up, but it did him no well. He had run away into the forest, only to fall down a hill after not paying attention to his surroundings. AJ had been the one to find him, trapped and helpless, and they were able to talk. Hopefully, this time around they could work things out. He had a good feeling about it.

The only downside was that his fall left Oliver with a sprained ankle. He was learning how to maneuver around Hammel on crutches, all while carrying his books and everything. Usually, he would throw it in his backpack and continue limping on with his day, but today, they had gotten a project back that required him to carry it. It was just too big and bulky to fit in his backpack.

He slung his backpack on with his other books in it, as Oliver tried to manage the project and his crutches. He let out a frustrated grunt, trying to figure out the best way to accomplish the task. 

[Alanna Darlington]

It had been a pretty good day for the telepath - for once, she was leaving class without a terrible headache, which was about as good as it got for her. Of course, she had been in a pretty good mood since the retreat. She had scarcely been able to get Jasper out of her thoughts. She liked him, and even more, she couldn't help but think that he had liked her too. For the first time in years, Alanna truly believed that she might have a shot at making a friend. A real friend.

Her mind continued on that train of thought as she walked through the halls, intent on returning to her dorm room. It was then that she notice first a frustrated grunt, slightly behind her. Turning around she quickly recognized the face she assumed it belonged to - Oliver, one of her roommates. He had hurt himself during the retreat and been on crutches ever since. Though it seemed that navigating the halls while carrying a project and managing crutches was simply too much for some.

Alanna quickly moved towards him. "Hi," she said shyly, almost unsure that he would recognize her, since they hadn't interacted much yet - they both kept to themselves mostly. "Do you need some help? I could carry that for you maybe. I really don't mind," she offered, her voice soft but holding a gentle warmth to it. She had never been one to ask for help, but she didn't mind offering it, especially to someone who was so obviously struggling.

[Oliver Barnes]

The only thing running through Oliver' mind was that he should have paid more attention to his surroundings. The accident had been completely avoidable, but it was due to his unawareness and carelessness that he had ended up twisting his ankle. It was annoying, but a lesson learned.

He paused for a moment, managing to take hold of his project and balancing on his crutches. Only thing was, now he had no way to walk. His eyebrows furrowed together as he set his project down again, half tempted to leave it behind and come back later when he could get someone to help him. Then, a timid voice spoke out, and Oliver's head glanced up over towards the doorframe to where a dark haired girl stood. She was familiar; it took him a couple of seconds to realize that it was his roommate, Alanna. They hadn't spoken much besides the odd sentence here and there, since the two of them were quiet.

Never one to reject help, Oliver nodded in answer to her question. "Uhm, yes.. yes please, I would appreciate that." He said with a soft smile. "I'm, uh... struggling." He added with a short laugh, moving his hand to run through his hair. "If you don't mind, that is, and don't have anywhere to go." Oliver didn't want to inconvenience her either or be a bother. Then again, the latter was inevitable when he was on crutches.

[Alanna Darlington]

Alanna smiled softly when he agreed - part of her was always expecting to be rejected and therefore always surprised and relieved when that wasn't the case. That smile grew slightly wider as she laughed at his assessment that he was struggling. "Yeah, it looked like you needed a second set of hands. I figured it was a little unlikely you'd grow your own so here I am," she said shyly, punctuating her words with a chuckle. She wondered if she'd said too much or if he would think her strange.

"Oh no, it's fine. I don't need to be anywhere," she assured him before bending down and picking up his project. "Here, I'll carry this and you just focus on walking, alright?" She glanced over at him then, waiting for his agreement when another thought occurred to her. She had just assumed he was going to the dorm, but he might have a club meeting or something else for all she knew. After all, she really barely knew anything about him beyond his name. "Where are you heading?"

[Oliver Barnes]

His posture began to relax, Oliver's shoulders not as tense as they were just moments before. Not only was being on crutches an inconvenience, but also incredibly embarrassing once people asked why he was on them. His cheeks flushed with colour once Alanna pointed out that it was obvious he was struggling with this. "Well, I really do appreciate it." He repeated graciously, a chuckle coming from his lips that mirrored her own. Oliver understood all too well the struggle of making jokes in a conversation. His thoughts always raced, wondering if the other person would understand or think he was stupid.

With his freed hands now supporting the rest of his weight, Oliver turned and started walking to the door. It hadn't occurred to the introverted boy that he hadn't said a word about where he was heading. "Oh, right." Oliver wanted to smack his forehead, clearly embarrassed. Normally, he was put together and not as scatter-brained but the recent events left his thoughts in the clouds more often than not. "I was just heading back to my dorm. Which, I suppose, is your dorm too which is probably convenient." He rambled. At least Alanna knew where that was, so Oliver gestured with a nod towards the door. "Shall we make our way over then?"

[Alanna Darlington]

His response allowed her to relax - in a crowded area like this it was hard not to pick up some thoughts after all - and it was a relief to know he wasn't mocking her. Her smile grew slightly brighter then. "No problem, I'm happy to help," she replied. "I mean its just the decent thing to do, right?" Of course, even as she spoke she knew that most people didn't worry about things like that. Knowing that was probably the worst side effect of her ability - even more so than the headaches.

Alanna chuckled - though not unkindly - at his reaction to her question about their destination. "Indeed, it is a bit convienent. At least I don't have to ask for directions," she answered with a smile. She couldn't help but feel like Oliver was a kindred spirit of sorts - after all their main reason for not interacting before now was that they both kept to themselves. He seemed to understand her attempts for humor and though they were both awkward, it didn't feel quite so tense.

"Let's go then," she said, shooting him a quick smile and gestured for him to go first before following behind. She wasn't sure how quickly he could move on his crutches, and she didn't want to end up sprinting ahead of him. It would be easier to match his pace, she thought, but to do so, she needed to know what his pace was.

She hesitated slightly, trying to think of something to talk about. Oliver was a year older - a senior - so it wasn't like they were really in the same classes and she didn't know much of anything about him... She wasn't going to ask about his injury - she could only imagine the number of times that he must have told that story by now. After a long moment of silence, she finally spoke. "So, how's your day been?"

[Oliver Barnes]

Had Oliver known that his roommate was a telepath, he would have grown more awkward and flustered in demeanour. She could probably hear the roar of his thoughts, from insignificant events that had happened that week to the latest confrontation with AJ. He noticed that her smile brightened in response, and so did his. It was comforting to be around someone who appeared to be happy, if not a little shy. "That's true." He agreed with a quick nod. Had the roles been reversed, Oliver would've helped out as well; always eager to lend a hand.

She seemed a little relieved that they both knew where they were going, and he had to agree. Why Oliver never stopped to have a meaningful conversation with her, he didn't know. Out of all their roommates, the two seemed a close match. Sera was too intense for his liking and Maddie was sweet, although hard to keep up with at times. She suggested that they head over and Oliver nodded, leading the way. He was slower than normal, but that was a given since he was on crutches. Hobbling down the hallway, Oliver did his best not to slow them down too much but thankfully, Alanna didn't see to be in too much of a rush. And if she was concerned, she didn't voice it.

The two walked together, brown eyes glancing over to her face. The silence that fell between himself and his roommate wasn't unnerving or unsettling. "Eh, it's been alright." He said with an amused, short chuckle. As good as it could get lately. "Don't know how I'm going to break it to my trainer that I am... handicapped, for awhile." Pause.

"How was your day?"

[Alanna Darlington]

Alanna was attempting to block out all the thoughts around her, but without some music to help filter it, they overwhelmed her and she could not keep everything out. Still, thanks to her training she could still keep some out - mostly the furthest away ones. Which did mean that she could hear a good deal of Oliver's thoughts. Though unlike most people thought, it was rather difficult to pick a single thought from the clamor. Really all she got from him was that he was thinking a lot about his injury and someone named AJ. The details all got lost.

Of course, she preferred people not to know her ability whenever possible. They always got weird once they knew. It just made her feel even more like a freak than she already did. Even other metas found her power strange - that had to say something.

She glanced up at him briefly with a smile when he agreed with her. It was nice that someone else still cared about little nice gestures. She knew from experience that far too many people simply couldn't be bothered by stuff like that, but she could sense his sincerity. Oliver began walking then - slowly of course - and Alanna followed, matching her pace to his, staying to his side and just slightly behind to avoid interfering with his crutches.

"It'll interfere with your training?" she asked, clearly surprised. Alanna turned to look at him as he spoke - only to find him looking at her. Her own blue-green eyes turned downcast for a moment before glancing back to him, her head slightly tilted. "Does it hurt? Your leg I mean." Her voice was filled with curiosity, but there was kindness and warmth in her eyes. She had never hurt herself that severely so she didn't have any experience with the matter.

She just shrugged when he asked about her day. "It was alright. Just the same old same old really." A soft chuckle fell from her lips. "I'm sorry, I guess that isn't a very conversational answer," she added. Alanna paused for a moment, hesitating slightly before adding, "Honestly, school is pretty exhausting. Usually I'm just looking forward to going back to the dorm and relaxing."

[Oliver Barnes]

"I owe you one." Oliver added with a light laugh at the idea of owing his roommate a favour. He felt like she wouldn't be the type of person to take him up on the offer, even if it was something simple like buying her lunch or helping her if she ever sprained her ankle and needed someone to carry a project. He turned his head to his side every so often, to keep engaged with the conversation. Visual contact was important to him.

Oliver maneuvered his way down the hallway alongside Alanna as she asked the question. Then he realized he never really gave the context behind his sentence. "Oh, well uh...mainly training, like my power. I phase through stuff." And Oliver had found he couldn't take himself through a wall with a cast on. Though he was sure Ev was silently grateful for that fact. "I also play...ed basketball." Due to his injury, he'd have to miss his final year, which sucked. But he was also the one who fell down a hole.

Shrugging, he glanced down to look at his cast clad foot. "Not really, no." Oliver admitted. If there was pain, he didn't pay attention to it. "The first day it hurt but I adjusted." His eyes flickered back up to her face. "You... ever hurt yourself? Broken a bone or something?"

If there was one thing Oliver knew, it was the difficulties of engaging in a conversation. Especially with an extrovert, the polar opposite of everything he was. "It's okay." He assured her. The lull of school could be mundane. "What do you find tiring about it?" He asked, curious. But if she chose not to answer or wasn't comfortable with answering, that was alright too.

[Alanna Darlington]

Alanna smiled widely, looking away out of habit. Her gaze quickly turned back to him though. "I'll have to keep that in mind," she said warmly. Alanna would probably never do anything about it. She rarely ever asked anyone for help - she just hated to bother others. They had enough going on without her adding to their load. Still, it was a nice sentiment.

Her mouth formed a small 'o' shape as he revealed that it affected his training. It shouldn't have surprised her really - she knew physical powers were a thing after all. She was just so used to her own training regime, which was obviously primarily mental, that she had forgotten that it wasn't the same for everyone else. "That's a pretty cool power though. I'm sorry about your training and basketball though. Will you have to wear your cast for very long?" She hoped not. She was sure it had to be annoying to be so limited.

"Well that's good. That it doesn't hurt I mean." She shook her head in response to his question. "No, never broken anything. Mostly just bruises and run of the mill sort of things, you know? Oh, though I did burn my arm once on a cookie sheet. But that wasn't really that severe," she said with a small chuckle. "How about you?" She flushed slightly as she realized how silly that sounded. "I mean, is this a regular occurrence for you or unusual circumstances?" After all, if he was an athlete, getting injured might be pretty run of the mill.

She hesitating slightly, debating how honest she wanted to be. She liked him though, and she didn't want to lie, but she didn't want to scare him away either. "It's my power," she said after a long pause. "It makes being around a lot of people pretty difficult," she added. She hadn't said what her power was, but she hadn't lied about it either. She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear before glancing back at him, nervous about his reaction, though she was trying desperately to hide that fact. She wanted to think he'd be okay with it, even if he knew what her power was, but so many people reacted badly to learning she could hear thoughts that she couldn't help but feel a little anxious. "That's why I spend so much time hiding in my room."

[Oliver Barnes]

Oliver noticed that Alanna averted her gaze, but thought nothing of it. Her shy demeanour made him think of his own and he just hoped that she felt comfortable enough. A chuckle escaped his lips at her warm reply. She was just saying it to politely turn him down, he was sure, but the acknowledgement was appreciated nonetheless.

The small 'o' that formed on her lips was delicate and seemed a bit surprised. It wasn't often that Oliver went around telling people about his ability, but he was sure that others had seen him phase through the occasional wall. He couldn't help it; it was a great time saver and convenient. He chuckled when Alanna said it was a cool power. He had to admit, it was an interesting one. Useful and not too overwhelming to train. Shrugging, Oliver's gaze flickered between the hallway in front of them and her face. "I think six to eight weeks, so kind of long yeah." He said, wrinkling his nose. Then again, it was his own carelessness that got him into the situation in the first place.

He nodded twice. It was good that she never had experienced a serious injury, because it... sucked, for lack of a better word. "Just typical teenage stuff." Oliver had his fair share of bruises over the years. Not a lot of burns, since he didn't cook. "You into baking?" He asked before answering her question. "Uhm... nothing this bad, no." A crimson blush crept up on his cheeks. Seventeen and this was his first major injury.

Oliver watched Alanna falter and hesitate, almost tripping to spew out words about how she didn't have to answer if she didn't feel comfortable and they could change the subject. He caught himself though, as she spoke. It was a vague answer, but the shy boy understood and wasn't going to press further, content with simply nodding. He could tell she was nervous with the subject of powers being brought up, since her disposition had changed only after that was brought up.

"Well, I'm sure you don't have to do that." Oliver offered optimistically with a soft smile. "Everyone has to adjust to their power. You shouldn't have to feel like you need to lock yourself away."

[Alanna Darlington]

Alanna couldn't help but be a little envious of his power. Of course, she was envious of a lot of powers. Almost anything was better than telepathy after all. Besides, phasing had to be super convenient - well, as long as you did have a cast on your leg apparently. She winced slightly as he said he had to wear it for six to eight weeks. "Ouch, that is pretty long," she agreed. "I'm sorry, that must really suck." She didn't want to keep rubbing his face in it or anything, but she couldn't help but feel bad for him.

She nodded along as he said prior to now his injuries had been just typical teenage stuff. She wasn't entirely sure what that meant since her teenage expereince wasn't exactly ordinary. Not to mention she wasn't a boy, or athletic. It seemed like being athletic would lend to collecting injuries.

Alanna shook her head in reply. "No, not really. I was helping my mom over the holiday. I'm not very good at cooking myself though." She could follow a recipe, but it wasn't an area she was particularly skilled in, not to mention she was a tiny bit accident prone. She was generally more content to simply eat food prepared by others - it always turned out better that way. Fewer injuries and better food.

As he finally concluded that this was his first serious injury, she glanced up and saw the beginnings of a blush on his face. She quickly looked away though, knowing from experience that there was nothing worse than someone pointing out a blush when you were already embarrassed. It seemed far kinder to simply pretend to not notice it.

Alanna's gaze became fixed on a point on the floor ahead of them as she spoke of her power - even if she did do so vaguely - afraid of how he might react. It was instinct more than anything. After all, she hadn't said anything to give away what her power actually was, so it's not like he could get upset. Still, the topic made her nervous. After a moment though she did glance up at him and he seemed just as before, politely nodding to her answer.

His optimistic answer however surprised her, and she found herself staring at him in her shock. Of course, he didn't know the extent of her power or the side effects, so it's not like he really knew that to be true but... it was a nice thought. Could other people really be struggling as much as she was? She blushed as she thought about his words, and the blush grew an even deeper crimson as she realized she was staring. "Thank you," she said softly after a long moment. Even if he was wrong about her, his kindness touched her. She really didn't see what other choice she had, but she wanted to believe him, she truly did.

"I guess I'm just not very good at controlling it yet."

[Oliver Barnes]

Although his roommate thought otherwise, Oliver thought that telepathy would be a cool power to have. Able to read what was on people's minds. Nobody would be able to lie to you, which itself could be a con as well. There were pros and cons to every ability, he concluded, and refocused to the conversation at hand. "It's okay, it was my own carelessness." He said with a low chuckle. Next time, he'd pay more attention to his surroundings, even while upset.

"Well, that was nice of you to offer, at least." Oliver said with a smile. Baking wasn't for everybody. Sometimes, recipes were easy enough to follow, like chocolate chip cookies. Anything more than that and the shy boy was helpless. Had he been able to tell that Alanna averted her gaze, Oliver would have graciously thanked her. He willed the blush to go away, and slowly, the colour began to fade. A few minutes passed, and his cheeks were almost back to a normal, slightly flushed, state. Pointing out someone's blush always made Oliver uncomfortable, since it'd not only be hypocritical but it did nothing, anyway. He was glad that she shared the same view.

Alanna hadn't explicitly mentioned her power, but he believed there was no need to. If she didn't feel comfortable sharing, Oliver was okay with that. Because he too, remembered the struggle of dealing with his power. The confusion, the surprise. Overusing it one week and having to deal with the repercussions. Discovering that AJ was here too and avoiding her for over a year.

The truth was, Oliver had spent way too much time being negative and focusing on the bad things. He was ready for a change, which included optimism even if it was blind and naive. The shocked expression spoke enough, that the words didn't have to be there. His eyes didn't leave hers, despite the blush colouring her cheeks. In fact, he hardly noticed it. Oliver gave her a reassuring smile, as if to say that things were going to be alright. She was younger than him, and he wanted her to have someone she could confide in, if needed. "No need to thank me." Oliver told her with a sheepish smile of his own. He was sure that she could control her power, with time.

"And that's okay. It's what we're all here for." Oliver reassured. "Some... weird things have happened." Which was an understatement. "So there's no need to hide." He paused, adjusting his grip on his crutches. "Unless, that's what you want to do. If so then just.. forget this." He said with a short, nervous laugh.

[Alanna Darlington]

Alanna looked thoughtful for a moment as he admitted that it was the fault of his own carelessness. After a short pause she smiled at him. "You're handling it really well though. I'm impressed." Not that what she thought really mattered. "I just mean, a lot of people would be depressed or complaining all the time. You seem to be taking it in stride, which is good," she hastily added.

She laughed softly at his response. "Yeah, at least I tried," she agreed. "It was definitely a learning experience." Her humor slowly died as they fell into a comfortable silence, giving Oliver the time he needed to compose himself again. After all, Alanna was the last person who would want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

He words shocked Alanna - which was perhaps a little silly - but the surprise allowed his thoughts to leak through her barriers. Spent way too much time being negative and focusing on the bad things. Ready for a change. She hadn't meant to hear them, but perhaps she had needed to. After all, was she really so different? Perhaps she did have good reason to feel so negatively but... was it doing her any good? So many deeply rooted emotions couldn't be pushed aside so easily, but it was a consideration at least, and one that was bound to stick with her.

Oliver was smiling at her, and though she felt more than a little confused, she couldn't help but hesitantly smile back, even when his turned sheepish. He continued to speak and she continued to just stare at him in amazement. "I..." she started to say, struggling for the words. "Thank you," she said softly. "I know you don't think what you said is a big deal... but it was. So thank you."

Alanna considered his words a moment longer before speaking again. "It would be nice to not have to hide..." she admitted softly. "But... People tend to prefer it when I do. Especially once they know... what I can do. It makes people uncomfortable..." She wanted to trust him, but... it was hard to overcome so much fear so quickly. Her green eyes searched his face, looking for some sort of reassurance or encouragement, even if a part of her still believed that being honest could only backfire.

Nonetheless, his thoughts about changing into someone more positive stuck with her. After all, if she didn't ever try, there was no chance at all. In the end, it was thinking of her new friend, her first friend, who never seemed to lack a smile for anyone. Jasper was always so optimistic and so kind... She admired that about him, about both of them really. If they could do it, so could she.

Alanna coughed slightly, clearing her throat. "You see, I'm... I'm a... telepath," she admitted softly. Upon her admission, she found herself anxiously holding her breath, waiting for his reaction, hoping against all odds, even as she feared the worst.

[Oliver Barnes]

When Alanna said he'd been handling the injury well, a soft smile appeared on Oliver's face. There was no use sulking around, since it did nothing except make him feel worse. "Yeah, I'm.. trying to." He said with a chuckle. It didn't mean he wasn't frustrated with his disability, though. Having to rely on other people was an inconvenience not only for himself, but whoever he decided to bother next.

His smile contradicted his thoughts a little, but Oliver was trying not to dwell on the negativity in his life. There was a time and a place for it, like when he was alone in his room writing, not with his roommate walking down the hall. "Well, I mean, if you have to hide it all the time, how are you expected to get any better?" He asked. Wasn't coming to Hammel the point of training abilities? The more he thought about it, the more confused Oliver was and wondered what could possibly be so bad about Alanna's power.

The short lived confusion cleared up when she said what her power was; telepathy. She seemed reluctant to share that information, almost like the fact would ruin their conversation. Although Oliver did feel the initial shock and 'oh my god she can read my mind,' he managed to not dwell on the subject for a long time. "Telepathy? I hear that's a hard one." He spoke, sympathizing with the difficulties his roommate had to encounter everyday. "Convenient, but hard."