What Is This Feeling? (Louis)

[Serena Varsair]

Okay, so Serena had to admit something that she hadn't been able to bring herself to do for a long time. It was such a strong feeling that overcame and nearly overwhelmed every single one of her senses. Her body moved slightly, her red hair beautifully resting long and flowing against her chest as it pushed out.

Fingernails a soft purple color (she had recently started doing them), hands solidly in place. Serena crossed her feet and quickly uncrossed them, unable to stay still. (Maybe it was just her power...or maybe it was something else)

Breath quickening, she just had to say something...swollowing hard, she nearly shouted but restrained herself just enough to exclaim (at a normal listening volume)

"This is the best burger I've ever tasted!"

Serena grinned, running her tongue against the front of her teeth, as she sat across from Louis in a diner he had taken her to for lunch. They had planned this day for a week now, or rather he had planned it, and she was just coming along. But she was excited to get out of the school.

It was no secret to Louis or her closest friends that Louis was by-far, the best looking guy-friend she had ever had (Boyfriend would imply love and dating, which Serena just couldn't acknowledge...no, don't acknowledge). And she could barely take her eyes off of him long enough to eat her food. They had known each other for a few weeks now, and she had loved every minute of it. (Even though she hated the small part of herself that literally sexed up a guy she had just met, that was so weak of her)

"How's yours?" She asked before taking another bite.

[Louis Scott]

Louis had planned to take Serena to the dinner they were currently at for a week now, ever since their eventful encounter at the gym, but Louis had gotten swamped with classes and couldn't follow through, though he still found time to hang out with the French girl. That had changed now that it was Thanksgiving break and he hadn't been given any difficult work for the break, so he had walked into the restaurant with the now red headed beauty, they were both wearing thick clothes to keep themselves warm from the terrible conditions outside. It had snowed a veritable blizzard only a few weeks ago, and though it had lightened up it was still not a good time to be outside.

After the two of them had received their food Louis had looked up at Serena, confused by the emotions he felt coming from her before he laughed at her comment about her burger. He used the temporary moment of mirth to look at the French girl, noticing with a blush she was looking at him quite a lot too.

The first time he had seen Serena after she had gotten her red hair Louis had thought he was going to faint from how attracted he was to her, he loved redheads, especially ones as attractive as her. The weeks since their fun at the gym had also been a great time for the Seattle native, a few movies watched, a couple lunches, and some normal hanging out. He actually felt himself get more and more attached to the girl sitting across him as they spent time together, leaving him in strange place as he knew that she wasn't looking for any permanent relationships.

Louis came back from his thoughts as he heard Serena’s question, looking down at his half eaten burger before he looked back up with a smile and said in a bit of a teasing tone, “This is the best burger, I've ever tasted.” He then said quickly in a normal voice “But seriously, it's amazing, and I hope you see why I've been trying to take you here.”

[Serena Varsair]

Serena almost coughed her food back from his tease, but she managed to get it down before laughing, "It sounds so much cuter when you say it. But yes, it's good. The diner is good." She paused for a moment, poking at her fries, before adding, "You're good. Thank you so much for this."

Shaking her head and hair a bit, the slightest bit of red catching her eyesight for a moment, she sighed, and told him, "So, I stopped fixing the coloring in my hair. Might start looking like a strawberry-blonde soon." It had been so long since she had just let her hair grow out without dyeing it, she actually didn't know how much of it was still blonde. "So enjoy the red while it lasts," She said teasingly, knowing how much he liked it.

Taking another bite of her burger, she just looked at him, wondering to herself what life would be like with him. Totally not like in any sort of romance way or anything like that...but...he...he was definitely something special. And Serena wanted him to be happy...and she couldn't help but wonder if being just being friends would keep them both happy for very long. Even if just being friends included the occasional bedroom (or massage room) romp.

Maybe it was not for her to question, as she took a fry and tossed it in her mouth. After all, she had made it very clear to Louis what he was getting into that day at the gym. But even now in the diner, she couldn't help but wonder when next their chests would touch (without clothes or sheets between them)...or their lips.

[Louis Scott]

Louis let a small blush come across his face as Serena called him cute, though he allowed a concerned look to cross his face as he saw her almost choke on her food. The look went away at her laughter and compliments as he let a smile come out, saying bashfully, “Thanks, I think you're good too, and you're welcome.”

Louis’s attention became focused on the girl's red hair as she began to shake it out, so enthralled by how good she looked that he almost missed what she said. He shook his head to focus back on Serena’s words, smiling at her as she mentioned that her hair was going back to its natural color, but he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that he wouldn't get to see her in that amazing hair. The moment she teased him about liking her hair Louis felt his cheeks go as red as the day they first met as he spoke very quickly trying to play down how much he liked her hair, “I wouldn't mind seeing you as a blond, and um, I just like red things.”

After he finished speaking Louis looked down quickly at his food to keep eating, and hide a bit of his embarrassment. A few seconds went by before he looked back up at Serena and noticed her staring at him, he subconsciously flexed a few of the muscles in his arms that had become uncovered since they entered the building. He let his own eyes wander for a few seconds before going back to look at her face, even with having spent a few times in a bedroom with the French girl he still couldn't look at her without getting flustered or thinking about how attached he was getting to her. “So, how have things been since last time we hung out?” He asked out of the blue, as he hadn't seen her in about a week.

[Serena Varsair]

"Y'know, we've hung out so much since we met, and and yet your cheeks still get as red as my hair when I flirt with you..." Serena said, letting the words hang for a moment before finishing her thought. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you liked me," She teased him. "Don't worry, your adorable secret is safe." Seeing him blush, either minorly like now, or majorly like other times, was cute, and she hated to say that it was something she missed about him. Knowing that the thought of her in some way made him embarassed or otherwise vulnerable made her feel safer, she supposed.

Louis...really liked her hair, Serena could tell by the way he talked. She may not have his power, but some things were just obvious. Serena laughed at his response, despite feeling slightly bad that he liked this hair more than her normal look, "I'll be sure to get you a nice fire truck for Christmas then. One of those with the nice chrome and rubber tires." Serena took a bite of food before grining widely and adding, "Maybe one where you can push a button to get a siren."

When he looked up, she didn't look away (at least not in any notable way), though she did notice the muscle flex and couldn't help but feel a little anxious in the moment. Though she was really finding that she liked the guy inside the body, she wouldn't lie and say that a genuine lust for him was there. Categorically someone like him checked off boxes for her that most guy-friends hadn't really had.

"Things have been...okay, I guess," Serena couldn't help but deflect from the question. When she was with him, everything was great, and she felt and it was a good time...and her thoughts were struggling to stay under control again...

She looked down and away from him, feeling bad for not having a better answer, "I mean...it's the holiday time of year, people are busier, and I guess I'm just feeling a little low is all. This isn't my time of year. Don't really love the cold, and I miss the color of everything." Trying to steer away from herself, she teased, "I know if I see you though I can count on color in your cheeks at least."

Pausing for a minute and looking down at what little was left of her plate, she (more quietly, but still easily audible) added, "I...miss my home in France."

[Louis Scott]

Louis had just taken a bite of his burger when he heard some of the things Serena said, turning a deep shade of red after he choked down the bite. “I don't, uh, I mean I just can't control how red my cheeks get.” Louis tried to stutter a retort to her teasing, but could only come up with a terribly lame excuse. The fire in his cheeks died down a little as Serena said she wouldn't tell anyone, even though he knew it was still part of her teasing, he still wasn't great at public relationships, even in the supposedly open one they had. “Um, I actually wouldn't mind if people knew.” It was true that they come to an understanding of being friends with benefits, and Louis wasn't exactly going to hide it, nor flaunt it.

Louis tried, failing horribly, to keep his cheeks from turning to a bright shade of red as he listened to more of the French girl's teasing, and then feeling a bit of regret as he felt the sadness in her. “There's no need for that, I'm not a fire truck kind of guy. I, um, prefer just spending time with people I like.” Louis smiled sheepishly as he kept his voice low while he tried to keep other people from hearing how embarrassed he was becoming.

Louis kept eye contact as long as possible with Serena, letting a few of her emotions flow through him, including some of the lust, before he took a bite of his burger to let himself think. The last couple of weeks had been great for him, even more so since he had met Serena. Besides a few of their bedroom adventures Louis felt great when he was around her during less amorous activities, including now, he didn't even feel bothered by some of things he hated when around her. It made him anxious as he looked back up at her, knowing full and well that the relationship probably wouldn't continue to work with how it was now.

Louis gave a small frown at Serena’s answer, he didn't need his powers to see that something was wrong with her, though they did help, and he was about to say something when she continued. He felt a great deal of sadness welling up in her as she spoke and couldn't help but try to reach a hand across to hers, again blushing slightly at her teasing as he said sadly, “I know what you mean, I’ve had trouble being far from home too, and I can tell you it won't get much easier. I'll be here to color your day anytime, and to keep you warm till spring. It's the least a friend can do.” His voice began to warm up towards the end of his little pep talk, adding a smile as he tried to make her feel better.

[Serena Varsair]

Serena couldn't help but laugh at his stuttered response. "I...uh...I mean...," she said teasingly with a grin as he managed to get his retort out. She just continued to smile at him and took a sip of her drink. Nothing was more important for her to show in the moment to her handsome empathic friend than that she was happy; not just making fun of him.

What he said next caught her a little off-guard. Serena shouldn't be surprised, it wasn't like she didn't know how he felt, at least a little bit. But for him to say that to be so...forward...she couldn't help but ask, with a look of mild concern, "Does this...does us...do we...are you bothered?" Though she didn't stammer like he had moments ago, she did have a hard time framing her words right. It was a weird question to ask, and she couldn't help but feel afraid for the answer.

"Oh, well, we can spend some time then. I'm going to be with my family on Christmas Eve and the early part of the day, but I'll be back Christmas night. If you want to...spend time, that is. It is a Friday night this year..." The suggestion was a little more intimate and personal than her usual direct comments. Maybe it was the way the conversation had been, or maybe it was because it was always a special time of year to her. She'd be turning 18 right before Christmas. She wasn't religious, but the togetherness and spirit transcended it to her.

As he held her hand and spoke, Serena smiled softly, gone was the grin from earlier, replaced with a somber but sweet lifting of her lips. It wasn't just that they weren't at home...they weren't at her home...the spirit of her father that she felt like she had every time she was there...just wasn't. Even if she could go there, it'd be nothing but a cold and empty house. "Keeping warm does sound nice...this area does get really cold..." She said, quietly but warmly. Turning her hand under his, she held his hand lightly, gently sliding her fingers around.

[Louis Scott]

The color in Louis’s cheeks only grew as he was teased again by the French girl across from him, causing him to try and return her smile bashfully. He could see that Serena was having fun and could feel the happiness radiating out from her, some of it flowing into him for a moment before he noticed her surprise at his words. The Seattle native could see what his redheaded friend was trying to ask him even if the question was alluding her, so he tried to answer her sheepishly even as he felt the inkling of fear in her, “No, I'm not bothered. I don't think I could be bothered by anything when we're having fun.”

Louis let out a small smile as he heard Serena talk about spending more time with her family, after how she had talked about missing her home she could use a little time with them. He paused for a moment when she asked him about spending Christmas night together, knowing from how she asked the question that she didn't just mean a night in a bedroom. “Yeah, I'd like to spend Christmas with you, I just hope you get enough time with your family.” Louis lightly squeezed her hand as he spoke softly as he felt how sad she was. At the mention of the cold Louis spoke quietly with a small blush spreading through his cheeks, “You know, I have a pretty good heater at my place if you're cold right now.” He knew that the comment was a little random considering where there conversation was at earlier, but he thought maybe a distraction from these kinds of things might help Serena till she saw her family.

[Serena Varsair]

"Well...I see no issue with telling people that you enjoy having fun with me...I like being known as a fun girl..." Serena hoped he knew she didn't mean the benefits part of their friendship...it was genuine fun to be with him...something she was ever increasingly more interested in doing. Pulling back some of her red hair, she sighed a bit, realizing that she was done with her meal. It was good, and while the waitress was surprised that Serena ordered more than Louis, Serena knew that it would all be burned before the end of the day. Serena couldn't even be fat if she tried.

"I'll get plenty, believe me...Besides, they are really busy most of the time. It's easier to not be around." Christmas evening with Louis would be nice. She could wear the new nightgown she was getting herself for Christmas, an off-white near-dress that was soft and cute. Not the sexiest bit she had, but it'd be very cuddle-worthy... It was strange, she never really thought about stuff like that with other boys.

"That sounds really great...I could use it," Truthfully, Serena often got cold from her power after she hadn't eaten for a bit. She was nice right now, but later, it would be good to be near a heater. Besides, she didn't have plans...and maybe they could make their own heat while they were at it...