Fall Into My Arms Instead (closed)

[Zachary LaRousse]

It’s been a long time coming, but finally Zac’s at his glowworm’s door, bouquet of roses and awkward octopus in hand. Because despite being in the dark about how he should ‘make his move’ around Stella, he vows that he’d never fall into the classics or the clichés.

He’s Zac LaRousse after all.

No matter how hard he tells himself that there’s nothing to fear anyway – that she never really knew how to said no to anyone, much less to him; besides, he’d only be asking her out as a friend – the pompous teen still stayed a good five minutes or so outside the shy Chinese girl’s door. Five times he’s held his hand out as if to knock, only to retract it a few seconds later in hesitation and go back to his aimless pacing about the hallways. He doesn’t know why he feels this nervous about such a simple task (something he’s done without shame for the past four/five years or so), and frankly, he doesn’t want to know.

Mostly because something tells him it would mean a big ‘I told you so’ from the two dolts in his room, waiting for his update.

If it wasn’t for the extremely irritated text JD gave him, he would’ve stayed by the door for five minutes or so really. Biting his lip and taking a deep breath, the boy finally knocked, and was pleasantly surprised it was Stella who answered the door.

“Uh, hey Glowworm,” he said, his voice suddenly coarse and croaky, without a trace of his usual cocky and self-absorbed tone, “How’re you? Life good? Heard you visted Fifi last week. That’s awfully nice of you.” He could feel his palms becoming a bit too sweaty, as well as some forming on his forehead. “Ahh, anyway, I was wondering, do you have any plans whatsoever by the weekend?”

No point in skirting around the issue right?

[Stella Pinyin]

The new year had called for a room rearrangement. While Zac had been waiting outside her door, flowers in hand, Stella had been sitting in the middle of her room, eyes closed. Zac had laughed at her when she'd explained energy in a room, but Stella believed in it, and this was her year to draw as much luck as possible towards her.

It was with some reluctance that the albino had climbed to her feet, knowing Sidra really hated having to answer the door. Still, she smiled as soon as she could make out enough to know it was Zac, though her expression became concerned when she heard his voice. "Are you alright," the bone white girl asked, eyes wide as they stared straight past him. Pushing open the door, she beconed him inside.

Shrugging off the compliment, Stella laughed softly. "She is a lot nicer then I remember," she confessed, then sniffed slightly. "Roses," she asked, trying hard to focus on Zac. "Why do you have roses?"

He sounded quite sick indeed, though Stella still shook her head at him. "I never have plans, Zac," she said honestly. "Why do you ask? Would you like me to make you dinner maybe?"

[Zachary LaRousse]

Zac’s nerves only went worse when he saw Stella by the door, his heart pacing so much that he swore he could hear it loud and clear already. In all his teenage years, he’s never been this queasy. If his younger selves can see him, he’s fairly sure they’ll mock him for being like the guys they bully the most. Exactly where did all his ego evaporate into?

He gave Stella a slight nod as he went in, thankful for the couch as he doesn’t know how much longer his knees can carry him upright. “When’d you redo the room? Feng shui was it?” While he had some Asian blood in him, he never really got into the whole traditional belief in spirits and luck. As far as he know his father, aunt and uncle weren’t really too big on it either. Guess that’s what they get from having a white father. “Did you do it by yourself? Didn’t I tell you to call me if you need help?” He couldn’t imagine the fragile girl moving the couch by herself. She could’ve gotten hurt!

“She’s always been nice, if only a little spunky.” Ever since she got back from juvie anyway. Can’t believe how being in jail changes a person. Must’ve been that dreary back there really. “Oh, ah, they’re for you,” he added, smiling shyly as he handed them over, “And this little octopus too. Red for luck. I haven’t named him yet though.” Rabbits are too overrated, and he doesn’t think she’d appreciate a lame rhino. So grumpy octopus it is.

At her next question though, he was caught a bit off guard. Since when did she become so sharp?

“Ahh, yes. Dinner. You know, for Valentine’s Day. I-uhh. I promise I won’t stand you up this time.” Last year was a disaster. He’s lucky Stella never knew how to harbour grudges and still talked to him after it.

[Stella Pinyin]

Stella blushed defensively, but then smiled behind one hand and nodded. "It's the year of the Dragon, Zac," she laughed, and paused once he'd stepped inside, quickly closing her eyes to make sure she remembered where she'd moved the furniture before taking a seat and patting the chair beside her.

It was easy to shake her head at Zac's over protectiveness. After over a year, if there was anyone who Stella was willing to let her guard down with it was him. "I didn't need help," she assured him. "Just a little shifting around, besides, you would have laughed at me."

She had needed to feel her way around the room carefully, and if Zac had been there, it would have been impossible to hide just how hard it was getting to see. She didn't want him to know that. He'd feel sorry for her, pity her, and while Stella did not mind that Zac sometimes seemed to think he was her older brother, she did not want him to pity her.

Humming as noncommittal a noise as she could make, the white girl smoothed her hair behind her ear. "She's lonely," she said simply, gazing at Zac though her eyes were unable to focus. A wide smile, and a little exclamation of surprise escaped as she took the bouquet from him. "I've never had flowers before," she murmured, beaming. Nor had she ever had a plushie cartoon octopus, and her fingers ran over it with a slightly bemused expression, though laughed when Zac called it lucky. "He can be Mo Ching," Stella said after a moment. "Classical Ink."

She had no idea what was happening. They weren't new years presents because Zac didn't follow the Chinese calendar, it was not her birthday for another month, and so after setting Mo Ching and her roses down, Stella gave Zac a quick hug. "Thank you so much. They're both lovely."

Zac might have thought Stella had caught him out, but the quiet girl had simply been assuming that, like he had done many a time, Zac wanted her to cook something. "What?" Stella asked, eyes wide. "You mean, go out for dinner?" her head tilted slightly to one side even as she waved off the reference to last year. "Of course, that sounds lovely! But," her hands twisted in her lap as she tried to find the words, and then tried hard to convince herself to say them. "I'm just, I thought you'd want to take a girl out,"

Which made her a what? Flustered, Stella shook her head. "I mean, it's a big day, in America, for that sort of thing, are you sure you want to just have dinner with me?"

[Zachary LaRousse]

“So every year you’ll shift your furniture around? I’m all for renovations and home improvement, but that’s a whole lot of hard work. Next thing you know it’ll be ‘Year of the Broken Back’ for you, if you’re lucky,” Zac said, care and concern lacing his every word. He didn’t mean to look down on Stella or anything – heck, he’d love for her to break out of that shy and unsure shell of hers – but he just thinks that she should always be careful, with her condition and all. “You could’ve at least asked Sidra to help. She lives in this room too, and it’ll put all her angst into something productive.” He couldn’t believe the administration put someone as timid as Stella with the moody vampire that is Sidra. It’s a miracle Stella isn’t showing any signs of trauma or anything like that. “How’d she think of the whole room organization anyway? Do I need to have a talk with her regarding her words around you again?”

His left hand promptly held Stella’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, as a warm smile appeared on his face. “She is. I’m pretty sure you being around helped her. A lot,” he said proudly. “I could make it a daily occurrence if you liked it,” teased the boy. Not that flowers are all that expensive. If anything, he could ‘ask’ a plant manipulator to grow some for him anyway. “Mo Ching? Smart.” He gave the plushie a little pat on its big head, then promptly played with its tentacles. “I’ll call him MoMo. Just because.”

Would this could as their first ‘kid’ then?

Once again his heart raced when Stella seemed rather surprised at his proposal, and a part of him actually wanted to simply call everything off, to tell Stella that he’s only kidding. But no. He can’t. Not when he’ll be leaving for college in less than a year. “Yeah. Go out,” he muttered, one hand rubbing the plushie’s head, “Not like this is the first time right?” Before he knew how awesome the girl’s cooking was, well, he liked taking Stella out just for the sake of it. “But you might have to dress up a bit. You know, like the Valentine’s day dance and all that.” Stella does have a few cocktail dresses in her closet, right?

“And you’re not a girl?” asked Zac, tone as playful as ever. “And you’re not just a girl Stella. You’re my friend right?” God Zac, why must you be such a pussy? “So it’s a date then?”

The sooner he can get this over with, the better. He doesn’t know how much longer he can keep his hands from sweating like crazy.

ooc:
OHEMGEEE. I swear I finished this like, 8 hours ago. Saved the word document and all. Dunno why I didn't post it yet. >.<. Sooo sorry Neon!
- Jam

[Stella Pinyin]

"She said, 'whatever, just don't touch my stuff,'" Stella recollected, laughing a little. "And stop worrying! I moved the couch so it was facing a tiny bit more west, and moved my parent's alter.." not really wanting to go over every single change, Stella waved her hands towards the living space. "It's just for the Dragon year. It's spring soon, so lots of positive energy from the East." There wa sa lot to explain and Stella doubted her vocabulary would be able to cope with explaining the importance of the four celestial animals in relation to her furniture. Or why her room smelt so strongly of incense. Taoism wasn't exactly common practice here.

"They wouldn't be as special then," Stella said thoughtfully, running a petal between her fingers. "This is better, it makes them special." Smiling, Stella stroked Mo Mo and nodded. "MoMo the lucky Octopus. Perfect." She'd started glowing slightly, and checked herself. That shouldn't happen. It was just a nice present, even as she felt the tips of her fingers tingle slightly.

No, it wasn't the first time, and Stella shook her head and waved away Zac's joke. "You know what I meant," she insisted, feeling blood rushing to her cheeks again. "Of course I'm a girl. Should I wear that dress again?" The dress she'd bought for the ball was a bit short on her now, she'd grown about half an inch, but it was the nicest thing she had.

"Of course I'm your friend." Stella said softly, looking intently at the toy on her lap. "It's a, a date then." A friend date. They'd been on plenty of things like that, so the fact it was on valentines day didn't mean it was any different. "It sounds like a lovely idea. I'm looking forward to it already."

Privately, Stella really hoped that Zac wouldn't do what he had done at the ball and bring another girl. She hadn't minded, then. But, well, that was a year ago. Looking up, Stella found Zac's hand and patted it. "It's so nice of you to ask me."

They were graduating this year. It had not really occurred to her. Of their own volition, her fingers laced with Zac's for a moment. It did no good to think to the future, she should enjoy now. It was a gift, or they wouldn't have called it the present.

(ooc: kung fu panda's never been so romantic)

[Zachary LaRousse]

Zac felt that familiar warm and fuzzy feeling welling up from deep inside him as Stella said that his little gesture was special. He found himself smiling, not out of simple happiness or satisfaction, but of actual joy. It seems different; he can’t explain why or how, it just is. And he rather likes it.

“You better take good care of MoMo. He does seem like he loves frowning. A lot,” chuckled the mimic as he continued poking the red mollusc, especially around the eyes. He saw how she glowed just slightly stronger for a short while, and took it as a good sign. Who knew that things would turn out so great after all?

But no matter how much the boy wants to just shout out and celebrate, he’s still Zac and thus is mandated to play cool and smooth. At least for a few more minutes. Once he’s out of the room, he’s clear. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Is this one of those Chinese things I can’t seem to have a grasp on again?” he teased, coyly smiling when Stella said something about being a girl. “You can if you would, but if you have another dress it would be better.” Not that he’s forcing her to get a new one anyway. “I could, mm, send you a wardrobe full of new dresses if you want.” With matching shoes and accessories to beat even.

“It’s a date.” He can’t believe he’s saying that really. He can’t believe his hands just went on and held Stella’s too. He doesn’t even know what he’s doing, and frankly, doesn’t really care. “Pick you up at six?” asked the eighteen year-old, standing up with his hands still intertwined with hers. “See you Glowworm.” He quickly leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek, before darting out of her room (aided with that cheetah speed he’s been using a whole lot lately) and into his own.

“Yeah baby!”

ooc:
Heeeheee. I'll begin making the next one then? :B
- Jam

[Stella Pinyin]

It was impossible not to laugh, though Stella managed to look indignant as she did so and nudged Zac with her elbow. "Then that makes me one of those Chinese things you can't get a grasp on," she replied, crossing her arms and trying hard not to look so amused.

"Why would I need a whole wardrobe?" Stella asked, shaking her head, then sighing. Zac was generous to the point where it honestly worried her. "I only need one." She couldn't go shopping. Not without someone and even Avi didn't know how bad her eyesight was now. "If... if you pick out a nice dress, just one, maybe?" she said slowly, frowning. "Not too expensive. I mean it Zac." Eye contact was important to most people when making a point, she was happy to be able to fix on a point near their face.

She'd expected him to let go. Maybe. "Okay," she said quietly, hearing the door close moments later. Her hand rose to her cheek, even as the other hugged the awkward looking red octopus to her.

Well then.

[ooc: you betcha]