Under my Umbrella (Howell)

[Howell Chilton]

Their joined wonder made Howell's already beaming smile absolutely overpour with delight. He momentarily recalled a little myth about how a ring of mushrooms was a gateway to the faerie realms, and silently contemplated just where a ring of light would lead them off to. "Maybe to Heaven, or Valhala, or the sun..." Okay, maybe he wasn't being so silent about it. But before he could continue his senseless pondering, Sage was already bringing up another point. Gray eyes flared in alarm.

"Good point! So maybe not her. Maybe that superhero team could bust in and chase them off!"

He made a few jabs at the air to emphasize his point. Imagine, the Meta Alliance defeating the Nazi moths and saving the school! A little mental note was made to remind them of this mission, but it would more than likely be forgotten within the hour. Instead, there was yet another dilemma to tackle.

"What, really? Oh, we've got to go to one soon - really soon! There's a whole bunch of mirrors there, making you fat and really tall and all Picasso-y! And we can have a big ball of yarn with us, so we have a trail back. Unless Ol' Mary decides to cut it. Then we're probably screwed."

But that was enough of that issue. The light's fading was not missed, so the dreamer flicked the light back on and merrily went about picking up all the reflecting items and putting them back in their respective places (or at least, where he best remembered they belonged). "The rain sounds like it's getting heavier," he called. And indeed, the roof could be heard taking quite the assault above them. A look out the window would reveal the deluge in all its glory, making things in the distance blurred or outright faded. Howell returned, sitting legs-crossed on one of the fallen pillows.

"So what do we do now, Captain?"

[Sage Ersilia]

Sage blushed at Howell’s words, even if he did not understand the thought process that lead to them. The thought that anything created by him could be remotely heavenly left him flustered, and he stayed in place, not daring to let the ring break. The roommate went on about the wonders of a house of mirrors, and Sage smiled as he listened.

“That sounds like fun…I hope we wouldn’t get lost”

Howell noticed his fatigue right away and was quick to return the room to normal. Sage nodded gratefully and looked to the ceiling, listening to the sound of the pounding rain. It was somewhat soothing, and the boy turned his light off completely before moving to sit across from Howell. Since he had shown the other blond his powers, he became curious over how Howell’s functioned.

“How does your power work? Is there something cool you can do in dreams?”

Sage was fascinated, since just about anything could happen in dreams, and Howell was able to experience all of it first hand.

[Howell Chilton]

How did his powers work? How did they work? The dreamwalker began rocking back and forth on his bottom, not knowing exactly how to explain it. Well, he might as well start at the beginning.

"Huh.. Well it's like, when I go to sleep, I can just sorta.. jump into someone else's dream! There's all sortsa things that can happen there. You can fly, or float, or go through walls, or breathe underwater! But you still gotta.. abide to the dream's 'rules', I guess." The reminder of this ever-present factor in his dreamwalking momentarily bummed him out. "And sometimes I walk into a nightmare. Not at all fun. People are really goofy in their heads, y'know."

Says the guy who just contemplated Valhala portals.

"Hey, maybe I can dive into your head sometime! I don't have steering completely down, but A night or two I'm sure I'll get it."

ooc: Blegh. Short. Dx

[Sage Ersilia]

Sage realized after a moment that the question he had asked Howell was probably difficult to answer. Most people probably couldn’t understand other meta's powers, let alone their own. For example, he could not explain why he glowed and for what reasons…he just did. And for Howell, it was probably second nature to enter one’s dreams and thus, difficult to explain. However, Sage was fascinated and his eyes were wide as Howell described to him how anything was possible in the realms he coul enter.

“That sounds amazing…you must be able to see things most would never get the chance to! Since anything can happen in a dream…”

The boy seemed to drift off in his own imagination, daydreaming about the possibilities. The nightmares did not seem like much fun, but if one could enter the good dreams, it would certainly make for entertaining times. Howell offered to join in his dreams someday, and Sage smiled thoughtfully.

“That would be fun. My dreams are pretty boring though. They’re probably not nearly as exciting as what you usually see”

The boy actually blushed at the thought of someone entering his dreams. Those kinds of things were sometimes private and resonated deeply in his heart as something precious. After all, dreams were like a doorway to one’s soul, weren’t they?

[Howell Chilton]

"Oh, yeah! It's like, being a character in a book, or a show, but knowing you're a character. Kinda like that."

He was right on that part - it was so difficult to really explain his ability. He didn't even want to get started on how he actually popped into someone's dream, mostly because it was still a mystery to him. But at least he was getting better at deciding who to visit (which was why he used the term "sometime"). Hopefully, though, that would be soon. In spite of Sage's forewarning, the dreamwalker was still eager.

Howell rocked forward enough to let gravity overwhelm him, flopping down on his front to rest his head between his arms. "Everyone's dreams are interesting. I feel like I get to know them so much better then. All the worries and inhibitions of the real world don't matter there, so they're usually more comfortable, you know?"

Feeling particularly antsy tonight (it was probably the nap he took beforehand), the boy turned onto his back, stretching his arms towards his upturned legs in some vain attempt to touch his toes from the position. "How about you? How much has your life changed 'cause of your light?"

[Sage Ersilia]

Sage was incredibly surprised to see the seriousness that came across Howell when he spoke about dreams. It was plain to see that they were very special to him, and Sage found the insightful words, well…beautiful. Howell probably knew more about people than he ever let on, but the boy nodded in agreement. In dreams, normal insecurities were gone, and that was why people often wished they could never wake up.

“I guess you get to know people’s true selves, don’t you?”

Sage cringed a bit at the idea of Howell finding out what kind of person he really was. He believed himself to be weak and useless, and the fear of anyone knowing that petrified him. That was why he always strived to be kind and as helpful as he could, even if things seemed impossible. The boy moved to lay next to the dreamwalker, his eyes staring at the ceiling as he thought of an answer to the question he had been asked. Could he even explain his powers?

“My life…has changed drastically, I suppose. I mean…nothing’s different other than this, but I’ve never felt more whole. When I first discovered it, I was scared, but…I also can’t remember ever being so happy. It was like finding something you never knew you had been without. I guess you could say it was like discovering my soul mate”

Sage blushed and turned around to lie on his stomach, his face burying itself into the pillow to hide his embarrassment. Howell probably thought he sounded like a loon, but he was only describing how he felt.

[Howell Chilton]

"Hm... Yeah, I guess I do!"

Truth be told, he had never thought of it that way. It sounded somewhat like prying, now that he stopped to think about it. Maybe that was why people would sometimes be so offended when he waltzed into their dreams. But they didn't have anything to fear. Howell knew when to keep a secret secret. At least, he hoped so...

Howell listened intently, soaking in Sage's explanation an eager stare. It was exactly like that, actually. That feeling of finally being complete when he didn't even know a part of him was missing until it appeared. Of course, when that part was dreamwalking, things were just a bit stranger getting used to than most other abilities.

His reflecting was cut short with a laugh when he saw his roommate stuffing his face into his pillow. Just when he was on a roll, poor Sage had to let his bashfulness get the best of him. It was a shame. That could've been, like, speech-worthy or something! Howell scooted forward a bit to prod at the other blonde's head.

"What're you doing, huh? If you're trying to play hide-and-seek, you're pretty bad at it."

Prod. Prod. He couldn't keep himself hidden away forever. Air was kind of a necessity, as unfortunate as it was.

[Sage Ersilia]

Sage heard the laugh, and he buried his face even deeper into the pillow. He was already embarrassed for having said something he considered to be personal and probably stupid, but now he was embarrassed over his own embarrassment (jeez, this boy…). The other blond prodded him, urging him to stop hiding, and Sage peeked out with one eye, his face still flushed. Eventually, as predicted, he did pull his face away and kept his gaze to the floor.

“Sorry…just I feel stupid for saying all that…I’m sorry if I sounded weird”

Sage apologized several times for his behavior and attempted to shrug off everything, smiling at Howell and resting the pillow over his lap with his arms draped over.

“And I think I’m all right at hide-and-seek…”

The boy laughed lightly as he added the comment, his face starting to return to its normal color. Sage calmed and moved closer to Howell in interest.

“So…what’s the craziest thing you’ve seen in dreams so far, Howell? I bet you’ve seen a lot!”

[Howell Chilton]

uldn't be. You were right on the mark! Perfectly eloquent description, Sage."[/b] His grin broadened once the illuminator lightened up HAHA PUN. "We'll just have to see sometime. Maybe do a game all across the campus! We could get everyone in on it, too!"

The idea was almost good enough to attempt right now, but Howell was at least knowing enough to realize very few people were going to want to play out in this downpour. Still, it was definitely something they would have to put on their to-do list for a sunnier day. Right now, though, Sage just asked the Question of the Day. The dreamer immediately sat up, nearly colliding heads with the other boy.

"The weirdest one? Oh wow, where to begin?" Indeed, Howell had to actually sit there in silence for a few seconds, scavenging through his memory to recall the top dream on his 'WHAT?' chart. A snap of the fingers signalled that he had found the lucky winner. "I know! There was this one guy, I don't remember his name. We were in this weird room full of stairs, and each staircase led to a white room. I tried to follow him, but he apparently didn't like me much. Anyway, so these white rooms were all the same, but each had a tiny building that suddenly took up the whole room, and it was filled with people with animal heads, and as soon as I walked in they'd all start ballroom dancing with porcelain plates in one hand filled with bananas and coconuts. Then I'd get to another staircase in the building and I was suddenly in the staircase room again! Then one set of stairs led down into the sky, and the guy was balancing on a tightrope using a pen to get to the other side, where I guess his dad or something was waiting at an amusement park." His hands were moving wildly, dancing in the air as he tried to tell his story to the other boy. He wasn't looking at Sage anymore, so enthralled by the memory that he was practically reliving it. One final gasp of breath was made as the story was drawn to a close. "In the end it turned out the entire place was in his eye."

He finally refocused on the other blonde, smiling away as per usual. "So what about you? Any strange exploits with your ability?"

[Sage Ersilia]

Sage smiled at the praise Howell gave him for his words, and he felt less embarrassed once he knew that he did not sound like a complete idiot. The other blond still seemed in high spirits and proposed the idea of a giant game of hide-and-seek, causing Sage to laughed lightly.

“That would be fun!”

Howell went on to describe the strangest dream he had ever seen, and Sage had not expected such a long, and so completely bizarre dream. However, his curiosity was itching to know whose dream it had been. It was like a crazy movie that made no sense and had a giant, mind-blowing plot twist at the end. The boy wished his life could be that interesting, with the ability to see the impossible every day, and when the question was turned around to him, he wasn’t quite sure what to say. There was nothing really that strange about his powers, well…except for a few things. Sage looked around the room to make sure there was no one there before looking back to Howell with almost serious emerald eyes. He wouldn’t judge him at all. The boy could tell that much.

“Well…it’s just in my dreams and everything, but sometimes I dream that I can actually talk to my light. Like…it’s this floating orb that I can say anything to and it helps guide me in the right direction, like a conscience. That’s probably the weirdest thing that’s happened in relation to my abilities. Or maybe that one time I went to church and started glowing…I got sooo many stares! It was so awkward! And I ruin movies at the theatre too…actually, maybe I am terrible at hide-and-seek…I can’t hide at all when I’m glowing”

Sage stopped after he realized he had been rambling, and he felt his embarrassment returning again.

“Sorry…”

He knew Howell wouldn’t care at all, but he still did not like to talk so much about nothing in front of another person. Then again, Howell might have enjoyed that more than anything.

[Howell Chilton]

Again Sage would find he had Howell's full attention, the dreamer ever as eager to learn more about him. It was a strange flux, having the gift of gab one moment, only to be too interested in another's story the next. So there he sat, staring at the other with those big, inquisitive blue eyes, liking this tale most thus far.

"Like a guardian angel!" came a sudden exclamation. That was just what it sounded like: a ball of light guiding him around, undoubtedly making the boy feel warm and safe, too. The image of it sounded so appealing; Howell couldn't wait to hop into his roommate's dreams now - as creepy as that sounded. And of course, that wasn't the end of Sage's strange moments. It took all his effort not to snicker at the mishaps described to him. Just when he was almost on the verge of losing his inner battle, the entire smile came crumbling down. He apologized, again.

Without a word he moved closer to the other blonde, nearing so close that they were just shy of touching noses. Without wavering from his locked stare into those green eyes his hand came up... and promptly flicked the illuminator right on the forehead. Task complete, he sat back, smile returning once more.

"From now on, I'm gonna do that every time you apologize, got it? At this rate, you'll have a big ol' knob on your head." The tone was playful, but the look on his face showed he meant every word of it. "And then maybe when you can say something without apologizing, I'll reward you with a.. gummy bear, or something!" Okay, that part was only teasing.

[Sage Ersilia]

Sage felt even shyer when he felt Howell’s eyes watching him so intently. He was not used to having someone so interested in what he had to say, but he found himself staring back into the pool of blue that was Howell’s gaze. He was glad that the boy did not find him strange and instead, he was fascinated and referred to his light friend as a guardian angel. One would consider that a pretty accurate description, and Sage gave a big smile, nodding in agreement. However, he became very concerned when the smile left Howell’s face after he had apologized for his ramblings again.

The dreamwalker leaned forward, bringing his face so very close to his, eliciting a gasp from Sage. He blushed and stared back in confusion before his eyes squinted closed at the flick to his forehead. 'Then, as if nothing had happened, Howell moved back and his smile returned. Sage had been told many times before that he apologized too much, but he had never gotten such a reaction before, and it made him laugh as he gently rubbed his forehead.

“Okay…I’ll try to say it less”

Already he had to fight the urge to apologize again, but he stopped himself just in time. He knew Howell’s little playful threat was still serious, and so he would keep his mouth shut. The boy even offered the reward of a gummy bear, although it had clearly been a joke. Sage moved to sit closer next to Howell and whispered, eyes staring down at the ground.

“Hey, Howell…? Thanks…for listening. You’re a lot of fun, and I’m glad you’re my roommate”

[Howell Chilton]

Howell sat there, able to do nothing more but blink a few times. Shock. That was the initial reaction to the thanks he was given. Compliments were far between in his life. Most didn't find his... exotic nature endearing. "Leave me alone", "Get out", "Go annoy someone else"; those were the usual responses he was used to. But it seemed like this school had more surprises than he first thought - or at least, his newfound friend here.

Well, it wasn't an apology, and so that deserved a reward, just as he said. The dreamwalker leaned in to give the other boy a tight hug, a small laugh trickling from his throat during the embrace. "Thanks, Sage. And you're one of the best people I've met." It was the only sort of praise he could think up for the light manipulator. It made him ecstatic to think that he was rooming with someone who could enjoy the simpler fancies of life as much as he did.

The dreamer released Sage from the embrace, revealing his broad smile once more. "Oh, speaking of that, I was planning to visit someone over Christmas break. Would you wanna come? I think she'd like to meet you!"

[Sage Ersilia]

Sage could sense Howell’s confusion at the thanks he had given him, but he wasn’t quite sure why. Why would he be so surprised that someone thanked him for his listening? Didn’t people ever appreciate his outstanding listening skills and his tendency not to judge? He was the ideal person to talk to, since nothing was out of the ordinary in his mind, and that made it so very easy for Sage to confide in him.

However, much to his surprise, Howell thanked him in return for just…well, being himself. Sage smiled the most he had all night, if that were even possible, and his light flared even brighter as he was suddenly embraced. The boy’s face was flushed from the affection, and he felt himself dangerously approaching his limit on his light abilities. His powers were very much affected by his emotions, and he was feeling so many, he was worried he might burn himself out and faint in front of Howell. It took much mental control to keep his light from becoming too warm and burning the boy as he was held in his arms.

Then, Howell invited him to meet someone during the break, and Sage’s excitement drove his powers over the edge. After the blond had released him from the hug, Sage nodded rapidly in acceptance.

“Yes! Absolutely!”

The boy’s light then suddenly died out, and he shakily slumped down into the ground, head rested on the pillow. His body was covered in a few beads of sweat, and his clothes were very slightly singed from the heat his body has created. His emerald eyes became half lidded, and he smiled up at Howell exhaustedly.

“I guess I overdid it a little…but you’re so much fun Howell…”


Sage laughed and brought his arm up to rest over his head.

[Howell Chilton]

The bright glow did not deter his hug at all. It actually felt nice, like being close to a lightbulb. Warm, but not scorching. He was of course totally unaware of the possible danger this posed to both him and Sage himself if he was not so in control of his intensity. It actually took just as much willpower on his part to finally pull back. It was such a nice relief compared to the constant chill provided by his still damp hair.

But it looked like he was going to get a show of the boy's limits anyway. The dreamwalker was forced to squeeze his eyes shut as the illumination reached its maximum. By the time he thought it safe to reopen them, Sage as already down for the count. He looked down at his roommate, more than a little surprised by the display. And the brilliant response he had for his friend? "... Wow." Well he never claimed to be Shakespeare.

Howell decided to level with the boy - that is to say, flop down on his back and literally get on his level. He met upside-down Sage's laugh with his own once assured he was fine. "I guess we gotta keep the fun to a medium, huh? Especially if we're gonna visit Mrs. Norris. Don't wanna blind the poor gal!" He'd been told time and again by the woman that he had too much energy, and needed to sit his [explicit] down once in a while. Heavens knew how she'd take to the rambunctiousness Sage inspired in him, or vice versa. "Sorry about your clothes, by the way.."