Sick of Wasting Away (Open)

[Miranda Suery]

Of course there was way more to Miranda than her physical side. She didn’t workout or anything, she was thing enough as it was. Rather, she enjoyed getting lost in her novels, or the online world. She would read anything she got her hands on, and liked to write every now and again as well. But her true passion was studying rocks and all they beheld. It was something important to her that would eventually bring her satisfaction. That’s why she went to school. That’s why she was putting up with this shitty part time bartending job. One day though, she would be where her dreams were.

Mira really did enjoy Linden’s company though, inside and outside of the bedroom. Or washroom. “It only makes sense to worry about someone you care about.” Sometimes boys were such bone heads. Everything was going to be okay, and even Linden seemed like he was starting to believe that. Nothing was stronger than blood. There would be many flings, but only one sister, and Mira knew that Linden treasured his sister. And his sister treasured him too. He couldn’t adore someone like his sister so much if she didn’t return the affection.

It was a good thing that Linden was so humble, otherwise Mira might’ve gotten tired of him already... Sadly, there was nothing subtle about Linden, and often Miranda wondered if she was unknowingly stroking his ego when she slept with him so freely. Then again, if he really did have it all together, why was it that he seemed to be breaking at the seams now? Snapping her wrist back, Mira watched him carefully, a crooked smile on her face. “Your bite isn’t a problem,” she said. Oh the double entendres flying between them. At least they talked the talk and walked the walk.

She let out a guffaw of a laugh. “I never said I was good at conversing either.” Mira shook her head. Linden was truly unbelievable. There was only a few things she thought she was good at, and most men seemed to appreciate at least one of those things. She was clearly independent, though she didn’t mind the right kind of company every once in a while. She knew what she liked and what she didn’t like, but didn’t have a hot clue how to get to know someone and know their likes and dislikes as well. She had never really been given that chance. “I never said you weren’t charming.” She said, still grinning. Linden was very charming, but that wasn’t what got her into bed with him. He could never think it was his own doing, because really, she got him into bed with her. She didn’t want to think of Linden as a charming individual though, she would rather just see him as one of the easy men. But Linden was starting to become more of a person, and less of a face in the crowd.

Sex was for pleasure in Miranda’s mind. She truly believed that guys only slept with her because she was an easy catch, not because she was necessarily pretty or anything like that. She offered what she thought was satisfying and then went home. Not a bad exchange really.

“Do you have... powers?” She asked from where she stood in the water. Miranda knew a lot of people did around here, but she still felt awkward asking such a personal question. They had had sex and yet asking about powers was difficult for her – strange. Oh well, at least she was asking from a safe distance.

So maybe he didn’t need to abuse substances to feel.

[Linden McKay]

To most, Linden was quite the bed-hopper, a total womanizer in his own right, but that didn’t mean he didn’t find things to like about each girl he was with. And it wasn’t just appearance that he looked for. He looked for a girl that would challenge him, a girl that wouldn’t fall so easily for his charm. Miranda hadn’t exactly been easy, mostly because she was in it for the same thing he was. What he hated most when he had a fling was if the girl expected more. He didn’t like getting attached to particular girls, but he realized that he was already becoming attached to two girls, one he’d started out merely screwing, and the other was trying to fix him. Two very different women and yet, they both had a hold on his otherwise distant heart.

The fact that he was starting to take pleasure in hanging out with Miranda on a more social level was weird. He’d only ever really seen one side of her whether it be in his dorm room or a bathroom or at a random party. He didn’t know why, but this side of her he found much more attractive. “But it’s not fair caring about someone who doesn’t care about you back,” He countered with a slight frown. Ceri was definitely not happy with him and the way she was acting made him wonder if she did still care about him. Yes, they were siblings, but it wasn’t like they were blood related. For all he knew, she may have turned her back on him and began to think of him as only a boy mooching off of her family. That idea made him sick to his stomach.

Very few girls got that Linden was modest. Due to his constant quests of finding a new girl, they all took him for an arrogant prick that they secretly wished wanted them. Women seriously confused him. He was a modest guy who hated arrogance because there was no point to it. Not to mention not many people enjoyed talking to a guy who was so full of himself. He had a very small ego due to his lack of arrogance, but every once in a while he’d show his egotistical side. He liked to mix it up a bit, but rarely did he ever come off as a total self-centered jerk. “Well that’s good to know,” Linden smirked.

“Well at least we’re both sorta bad at the whole talking thing. I mean I’m a good listener and all, but talking definitely isn’t my strong suit,” He said with a slight frown. Everyone always lectured him and told him he needed to let go more, but the problem wasn’t that he didn’t let go, the problem was that he didn’t know how to open up. His power, having the mind of a computer, made it difficult for him to really develop proper social skills. He had his moments of being very straightforward and talked in a monotone, but that was when he was merely stating facts due to someone’s ignorance. Listening was easy, opening up was like trying to get emotions out of a computer without using the emoticons. Despite his problems of letting people in, he came off quite amiable and sweet in his own way. Linden smiled in a somewhat shy fashion and looked down to hide it, “Admit it, I’m very charming and you totally love it.” A small chuckle bubbled up to his lips. Quite the charmer he was.

Her question caught him off guard slightly, but he recovered with a smile and nod, “Uhm, yeah I do. Technopath. Y’know, the totally wicked computer freaks?” He said with a humorless laugh. It was a very personal thing to talk about because you never could be sure if the person you were talking to was a meta or not. He looked up at her from across the lake, “How bout you? Got any crazy powers apart from being good in bed?” He said with another laugh, this one becoming a bit more genuine.

[Miranda Suery]

Miranda let herself be with people physically because she was just better at doing so. She liked being people that way. There was nothing her body couldn’t say, and it was easier than words. She had read somewhere that sex was only ten percent physical, while the rest of the enjoyment came from emotional and spiritual attachments. She, however, had to disagree. It was probably a combination of her powers and personality, but she had never been one who was good with words and what she lacked in conversation she thought she more than made up for in the bedroom.

She liked Linden’s company in that way. He was good to her and didn’t hurt her. He knew just what she liked and she knew his likes as well. It was a good thing they had going, but she also knew that deepening it with repeated sessions had to lead to something more than just screwing. It hadn’t yet, but she wasn’t stupid enough to think it wouldn’t. She didn’t expect him to feel the same way. She felt that giving men pleasure the only way to connect with them, because she wasn’t stereotypically pretty, or intellectually stimulating. It was partly a self esteem thing, and partly something she had always been told. She wasn’t pretty, so the rest didn’t matter, like how her parents really didn’t care what she became in her life. Liking rocks and dinosaurs didn’t mean grandchildren, not that Mira could have any, even if she was pretty.

What he said next made her grit her teeth, was he reading her mind or something? But then she realized he was talking about her sister. “Doesn’t matter if it’s fair or not, although I’m sure she cares about you Linden, you’re her brother.” Miranda was glad he hadn’t been reading her mind. “It’d be nice having a brother like you.” It was a side note, but she could imagine that he treated his sister very differently than the many play things he made out of women. “Maybe if you give up drinking, she’ll take your apology seriously.” Another out of the blue response. Since when did she offer such advice? It was probably due to exam stress, and the new feelings she was starting to have from Linden.

Miranda never made assumptions of Linden. She found out he was a womanizer and good in bed all on her own, but that didn’t really bother her and still didn’t. She was virtually immune to any and all diseases, due to her body’s inhuman like immune system. Miranda knew that guys never beat around the bush with feelings and what they did or did not want. It was pretty cut and dry with them, and she appreciated that. It was usually pretty cut and dry with her as well.

“So, this is a good thing? Not knowing what to say?” She asked, obvious concern on her face. This whole thing was very confusing for Mira, because she had never known someone else who was a good listener. Well she was good at making people believe she was listening. Most people just had petty problems she didn’t care about, but Linden was actually suffering. Despite her lack of people skills, even Miranda could tell the difference between care free Linden, and guilt ridden Linden. She smiled slightly. “You’re very charming and you, I mean I, totally love it.” She tilted her head to the side. “You really want me to lie to you?” Because even Miranda was good at teasing sometimes.

Technopath. He didn’t seem very computer like to her. In fact, Miranda felt more antisocial than he did. “Did you go to Hammel?” She asked. Maybe he didn’t want to say, but the question slipped out before she could stop it. Why did she suddenly want to know everything about him? She smiled to herself as she shivered in the cold, safe water. “Force fields,” she said, looking at him from across the sand, “I can make force fields.” She took a deep breath and plunged into the frigid water. Her powers were the reason she couldn’t have kids one day. It was a blessing and a curse she didn’t want to talk about.

[Linden McKay]

Linden liked having physical relationships, hence the reason he was always screwing around so to speak. Being with people emotionally had a stronger toll on him because he didn’t know how to handle emotions. He was a technopath, computer nerd, computers didn’t have emotions and he barely did. Being physical was instinctual, easy. He didn’t see the point of loving someone emotionally when it just causes problems between the two people involved. The only way a problem was made in the physical aspect was when one of the two involved couldn’t satisfy the other or wasn’t courteous of the other person.

Another thing that was nice with being physical was not getting emotionally scarred and beaten. Having an emotional tie to someone just caused pain and breakage of the heart. What was the fun in that? Linden honestly didn’t understand why people were hell bent on looking for love when love as the quote goes, stinks. The way he’d started with Miranda was nice, consistent and fun. Now it was turning into a repetitive thing and he was beginning to develop feelings that scared him, but thrilled im at the same time. He liked being with her and seeing her all the time. Her smile brightened up his otherwise dark day. She was smart and passionate, even if she couldn’t see it.

Linden’s word felt so true in both cases. His sister didn’t seem to care and obviously there was no way for Mira to either. She liked physical. She couldn’t get attached to him. “Only in my mind and my parents’ minds. I’m not blood related, she doesn’t have to care about me like family usually does. It’s just not the same,” He whispered as he looked way from her. He was ashamed of his behavior and of how he seemed to be pouring his soul out to her when she couldn’t give a damn about what he was going on about. “I’ve already started giving it up. I haven’t had a drink since that last party. She doesn’t seem to notice though, none of them do.”

Linden shrugged, “I guess it is. I mean it makes me feel less awkward about the whole thing because I’m so horrible at talking about feelings.” He laughed and shook his head slightly. He was confusing himself with all of the philosophical talk. Linden looked back at his hands and smirked, how was he charming? He joked around and said smart ass comments. “Uh huh, right. I know you love it that’s why you can’t stay away from me. You don’t gotta tell me twice sweetheart.” Linden laughed again and rubbed the back of his neck, “It ain’t lyin’ babe. I know how girls think, you find me irresistable huh?”

Linden was very antisocial at times. Sometimes he felt like he was a robot, stalking through life in a daze. He didn’t know anything about feelings or emotions when he was having one of his off days and that had been a lot lately. “Yeah I went to Hammel for most of my meta career, I also went to Kocher for a year and a half when I first manifested,” He aid with a slight shrug. It was nothing he hadn’t said before. People asked him all the time. “So that’s why I’m so drawn to you!” He exclaimed with a laugh, “Nah just kidding. I like being around you all the time. It’s mellowing.”

[Miranda Suery]

Miranda was definitely emotionally scarred from relationships. She was emotionally scarred from other things in her life, but her physical relationships were truly the only thing that made her feel alive. It gave her a natural high her body had started to crave. It helped her sleep at night, put her mind to rest, and gave her an overall sense of peace nothing else could give her. When she didn't have a partner to satisfy her, she wasn't opposed to taking matters into her own hands.

Miranda wasn't sure how to get through to Linden. He seemed to be taking everything she said and arguing it. She sighed. "Look, at least you have family, someone to be mad at you when you forget about things. I have my parents, sure, but they have never given a damn about me. So just be thankful." There, that was the most she had ever shared with someone, ever. Even Shiloh, her so called best friend in high school, hadn't been let in as much as Linden was now. "Blood has nothing to do with it."

"Have you told them you've given up your old habits?" She asked, her eyes big and round. Mira was trying to be inviting but she doubted it was working. Ah fuck it, how was she supposed to go around in the social world simply remembering rules? "How are they supposed to notice if you're in dorms?" Another logical question Linden might have left unnoticed. Men. Sometimes they were lovable, but mostly they were clueless.

Miranda actually laughed. She was horrible at talking about feelings too. She smiled at him, glad they were in the same boat. "You're good in bed, that's all I really wanted." A shrug was followed by the statement. Sure she liked him in bed, but it dawned on her she had used the past tense. That was all she had wanted, so what did she want from him presently? Surely it couldn't be a realtionship. Her heart was a wretched mess.

It was nice, hearing about someone else's powers. But that wasn't the part that made her stop wading around in the water. Mira's head snapped to look at him directly. Was she just hearing things, or did he just say he liked being around her all the time? She was very glad to be out in the lake, where Linden might assume the blush on her face was just a trick of the light. "You don't know what it's like to be drawn to me," she said with a grin. Not once had she used her powers on him. She had a feeling he would find it overwhelming to be so close to her without having any control. And for once, she didn't want to scare him away.

[Linden McKay]

Linden wasn't really scarred from anything to emotional. The only time he'd ever been 'in love' was with his maid Aila and that was just a preteen crush. He'd sort of started liking a girl before, just recently, but that was cut short due to her finding out about his addiction. Talk about embarrassing. She was completely prejudice against alcoholics, thinking they were all bums. Linden was definitely not like that and he resented her thoughts towards people like him. That was the most scarring he'd had. Other than family scars, but that was normal.

He tended to be quite argumentative when he was in one of his logical states. He didn't particularly enjoy arguing, but he liked showing people how he thought. If they were going to help him in any way they needed at least the basic workings of his mind when he thought of his family or whatever topic it happened to be. "I know. Honestly I have very little to complain about and yet I do it anyway. I am thankful for them, but sometimes I feel like I'm a total disappointment." He reached out to touch her hand lightly and in a somewhat reassuring/comforting gesture. Hearing about her family was something he hadn't expected and he didn't particularly like what he'd heard.

"I don't know how to tell them without it sounding like I'm lying or just doing it for now. I want it to be a long term thing, Miranda, but I don't know how to convey that. As for living in dorms, I come home to visit every weekend. They've seen me since I've stopped drinking and haven't noticed," Linden frowned and kept his eyes averted. Maybe once he moved back home for the summer they'd see it.

Linden caught on to the past tense, but wasn't sure whether he wanted to actually say anything about it or not. What if she hadn't meant it? Then he'd feel like a total moron and be humiliated. "Sometimes I wish I had more to offer though, besides money and my sexcapades." He laughed humorlessly and bit down on his lower lip. She wouldn't understand.

As the words left his mouth, he wished he could bring them back because he hadn't meant to make that slip. Yes, it was true, but what if she got creeped out by that? What if she didn't want him to feel that way? Linden cursed internally. He kept his eyes on the trees beyond the lake. "So you've never used your power on me?" He asked curiously.

[Miranda Suery]

Miranda had never been in love. She had been in lust, but not love. She supposed there might be a difference between having sex and making love, but how would she know what that difference was? And when exactly did you know you were in love to begin with? Was it a choice? Something was just right? Was it different for everyone? Did she want to be in love? Wasn’t that why she avoided close relationships to begin with? She and Linden were treading on uneven ground.

Unlike Linden, Miranda didn’t like explaining her thoughts to others, because when she tried to do that it just came out as a jumbled mess. She listened well when she was actually interested though, and for some reason, if Linden decided he wanted to explain himself to her, she would lend him her ear. Hadn’t she proven that already? She shied away from his touch, staring at the lake. Mira didn’t want his pity, she wanted him to appreciate his family, and appreciate that they loved him. “So stop being a disappointment then, whatever that means to you.” If he needed to stop drinking, then he was already on the way to being a better son, wasn’t he?

She turned her head back to him. “You need to trust them too.” It was really more simple than he made it seem. If his family couldn’t see the sincerity in his eyes like she could, that wasn’t something he could change. All he could do was what was right for himself and hope that those closest to him would be proud of him. She knew she was. At that thought, Miranda smiled softly. “I would be proud of you,” she said softly.

“Like what?” She asked. What was it that he wanted to offer? He probably had a heart to give, just like she did, but didn’t know how. Maybe talking it out would help. Honestly, she wished she had more to offer as well, but no one seemed to think there was anything more to her. Just a weird girl with a fetish for rocks and sex. Maybe that was it...

Shaking her head no, a devilish grin on her face. Sometimes she wondered, like now, what sex would be like if she used her powers to bring herself and her partner closer. That was probably the only thing she was saving for someone special. Since he’d asked though, Miranda looked at him blankly, a force field inching its way behind him. Really, she had an incredible power for such a small girl. Slowly, the force field pulled and nudged Linden closer towards the water. She smiled sheepishly and ducked her head, releasing him and the field. “Now you know.”

[Linden McKay]

Linden had always wondered how love worked. He’d heard people talk about it and he also had researched it before, but nothing ever really satisfied what he was looking for. How did someone know they were in love? How did it affect them mentally or physically? Did it change you as a person? Things like that weren’t answered by his research. The only way he’d ever really understand is if he felt it for himself, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. Was he ready to be in love? It just seemed so permanent and he had serious commitment issues as it was. Hence the reason he stuck to one night stands.

Usually people didn’t really understand him when he tried to explain his reasons behind thinking the way that he did. The only way anyone would truly get it was if they were a telepath or a technopath. He hated the way he thought most of the time because most people looked at him as if he were a computer, a robot. He didn’t think with his heart, that’s not what it was for, he thought with his mind and always had to have a logical explanation for everything, sympathy wasn’t usually an option either unless he knew the person well. When she shied away, he pulled his hand back abruptly and looked down. “I don’t know how to stop being a disappointment to them. Nothing I do seems to be enough for my siblings. I mean, my parents have always been supportive and caring, it’s the siblings that give me the hardest time…” he looked back out across the lake and sighed.

Trust on his end wasn’t the problem. He trusted all of his family with his life, but they didn’t seem to share that feeling. At least Ren didn’t and neither did Ceri now. For all he knew, Jaythen didn’t either. The older ones didn’t particularly like him as much as the younger ones did. And he didn’t even know why. “I do trust them, they don’t trust me. Most of my siblings expect me to fail because I’m such a partier. Ren expects me to fail out of college and become a total bum. Ceri probably thinks that way too.” Linden frowned, why did this feud have to continue? It wasn’t fair. He looked up at her in surprise at her comment and a slight smile started to pull his lips up.

“I want to be able to offer the girl that I’m with someone that she can be proud of and someone that will make her happy. I feel like all I can give anyone is a good amount of money and pleasure, but that doesn’t seem like it’s enough. I want someone to give my heart to eventually, but I haven’t been able to really find a girl that I can give it to. That and I’m not exactly ready for it yet, at least I don’t think I am,” he laughed quietly and sighed. Linden looked back up at her and wondered what it was about her that drew him closer. She was great in bed, she was funny in her own way, she wasn’t overly touchy with him and she didn’t even really talk much about feelings. Those were all things that he loved about her. Not to mention the fact that she was very beautiful.

Linden was a little surprised that she hadn’t used her power on him. Especially during the physical stuff. It felt like he was always pulled closer to her when they were together physically. Maybe it was him pulling her closer? But still it was addicting. He wondered what it would be like if she did, but he’d never ask her to do it. He felt a nudge and stumbled a step forward. His eyes widened and he smiled, “Whoa! That was so cool!”

[Miranda Suery]

Miranda just wasn’t ready to feel the way she did for Linden. It was why she pulled away from his touch. Though this was far from love, she didn’t even want the possibility of something like that to come between them. What they had was good, so why wasn’t it good enough? “Aren’t siblings supposed to give you a hard time?” She asked, trying to keep her mind on his dilemma, rather than him. She felt bad for resisting his touch before, and instead went for his hand now. She looked up at him as he told her about his family’s expectations for him. “You’ll just have to prove them wrong.”

She considered his words. “Money and pleasure won’t make someone happy forever, but they still should accept you for who you are.” She looked away as he spoke out loud exactly what she had been thinking before. “You shouldn’t rush something like that,” she said, instead of agreeing with him, and telling him that she felt exactly the same way. She had never given her heart to anyone, and even though he was starting to capture hers, she didn’t want to make this about her.

It must’ve been odd to those who might’ve been watching. Two people having a conversation, though one was in the water, the other still sitting on the shore. It might’ve even looked like they were having a spat. Mira was always very aware of people around her, mostly because she needed to know how to get away from them as quickly as possible. She grinned at him. “Are you coming into the water?”

[Linden McKay]

Linden laughed at her comment. She had a good point, but still, his siblings were harder on him than anyone else was and it was usually just Ren that seemed to have the biggest problem with him. He never did anything to her though, he’d always supported all of his family in whatever they did, but she refused to actually let him live his life the way he wanted to. Lin had a rough time opening up to his siblings because he’d grown up with Ren and Jaythen and neither of them were really easy to talk to. “That’s true, but it’s more than just siblings bickering and giving each other a hard time,” he said with a slight frown. He felt her hand on his and took it willingly, surprised by the relief it gave him. “I don’t know how to without just making things worse.”

Again she was right. What he had to offer wouldn’t make someone happy forever, but no one seemed to accept him for who he was. He didn’t even know who he was. The way he saw himself was a walking computer who was programmed for sex and that was about it. At least he was good at something. “You’re right, it won’t make someone happy. I don’t even know how to make someone happy. I don’t want to rush into anything, but I’m afraid that I won’t be ready for it ever,” he whispered. He hadn’t told anyone that before and the fact that he’d told her just proved how screwed up this whole situation was. He’d never told anyone how he felt, but yet he was pouring his feelings out to a girl that had started out as merely an FWB.

Linden never really paid any attention to people or how people saw him. He didn’t care. He was strictly absorbed by Miranda, more so than any other girl had captured his attention. It surprised him a lot that she hadn’t used her power to pull him closer. He saw her smile and it drew out a wide smile from him. He looked down at his button up shirt and jeans and back up at her, “I guess it’s a good thing I decided to wear boxers today. Just trying to get my shirt off are ya?” He laughed and began unbuttoning his shirt and pulling off the wife-beater under it. The air struck him and he shuddered. “It’s a bit nipply without a shirt I might add.”

[Miranda Suery]

Miranda did her best not to fidget in his grip. How peculiar it was, to be with someone and have sex with them, and yet, be totally uncomfortable holding their hand, or having her hand be held by his. Mira was blushing furiously, and yet, she hoped she was some kind of reassurance for him. She didn’t have any advice to give. “I wish they would support you,” she said, wishing it wasn’t such a dead end, but it was all she had to give. She was so damn frustrated with herself. Why was it that she didn’t have more to give than that? She held his hand gently. “I wish I knew what to say,” the obviousness of her frustration coming out.

Her eyes looked everywhere but at him. “I’m happy,” she sighed, “with you I mean. With who you are.” It was true that she didn’t know very much about him, but someone as kind hearted as Linden was pretty easy to like. Maybe even love. He definitely knew how to make her happy, even if it was brief and short lived, she knew it was something she could always have again and again. The tricky part about being friends with benefits, was that you needed to be friends first. Mostly they were just fuck buddies. “It’s hard to be afraid, when you don’t know what to expect.” Miranda would say she was more nervous, or incapable of love. Definitely not afraid of it. Or maybe she was. Her head was spinning.

For someone who never felt comfortable in their own skin, Linden helped Mira feel a little normal. He pulled her into the spotlight and just let her be. He could be with her and not judge, and for that, she felt happy with him. He didn’t make her feel as awkward as she felt on her own. He made her better than she could be on her own. But, was she supposed to tell him that? She looked down as he smiled broadly, grinning at the sand. She watched him through her lashes, biting her bottom lip. He was still very attractive. She could probably go to bed with him a hundred times and still think he was handsome on the hundredth and one round.

“You’ll get used to it,” she said, her powers reaching out to him, nudging him along. A playful smile stretched across her face. She didn’t want to talk anymore. She could say everything she wanted to once he got close enough for her to touch him. She wasn’t the most attractive woman, especially in her cotton grey underwear, but it was what was underneath that counted.

[Linden McKay]

Linden had only ever had one girl hold his hand. At the time he had been uncomfortable and yet was still comforted by it. This was different though. Not in a bad way, but he was more nervous about Miranda holding his hand. It confused him so much that they’d been together in much more intimate ways and yet this made him nervous. It made his heart beat furiously and his stomach twist and turn. He’d never felt like that with a girl before. Her words made him smile and he continued to look down. It was clear that she was having a hard time trying to say the right thing, but he understood how she felt. He’d often felt that way before and it was nice knowing that he wasn’t the only one with the problem. Linden squeezed her fingers gently and looked up at her, “You don’t have to say anything Mira, this is enough for me.”

She spoke again and he could almost feel the frustration coming off of her because she couldn’t seem to find the right words. Once she finished, his heart gave a painful squeeze and he blushed lightly. He was surprised by what she said, but he really was happy that she’d said it. “I don’t see why. I mean not to sound completely melodramatic, but I don’t know what you could possibly be happy with.” He frowned even though he was still floating on Cloud 9 because she said she was happy with him. All of him and not just the side she’d first seen. He nodded and sighed, “Maybe my power makes me incapable of being in love. Or being ready for love I should say. It’s just a confusing concept in general,” Linden sighed.

Linden was happy being around Miranda because she never pressured him into opening up and she never judged him for his partying ways. She was so easy to talk to even though he was usually so closed up. The walls he built around himself briefly fell when he was with her. But he didn’t know how to express that to her without feeling like some cheesy chick flick. He wanted her to know that she was amazing in more ways than just the physical. He wanted her to see that she had so much to offer someone. He just didn’t know how to. He cast a sideways glance and internally sighed. It was painful to look at her because she was so beautiful.

He felt her powers nudging at him which made him laugh as he tried to pull off his jeans. Eventually he kicked off his shoes and walked towards the lake attempting to look a lot tougher than he was because it was cold and he didn’t do well with cold. As he reached the water, he dove in without a thought and came up a minute later. Linden came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, “Now that you’ve got me what are you going to do with me?” He whispered in her hear with a wicked smile.

[Miranda Suery]

Mira could feel her heart palpitating in her chest, like it would burst at any second. Usually she kept people at arm’s length, literally. If people got too close, she used her power to nudge them away. It was taking a lot of concentration and heart to not send Linden away, as far away possible from her, so she could coil back into her shell, wrap her arms around herself and remember that nothing could touch her. So why was she letting him? If being awkward was a disease, Mira would be forever bedridden. She held on tightly. It was enough for her too.

Linden spoke again, and Mira simply couldn’t find the words to explain her happiness without giving herself away. She swore to never trust anyone like that again. He made her happy by just being around her, but also because he was good to her. If he really thought what he did wasn’t anything short of amazing, then he could only feel one thing for her once (or if) she ever told him so: sorry. Sorry that she had never been with someone better than him. When someone only had pain to compare moments like these to, it was pretty damn easy to be happy. She decided to let him go and slip away into the water. “You’re still human, you’re still flesh, why wouldn’t you be capable of love?” She challenged, because someone had to be more stubborn than that voice in Linden’s head.

Miranda held one of her elbows as she stood in the frigid water. It made her feel numb and if she didn’t get out soon, she knew she was going to get sick but for the moment, she didn’t care. She watched him dive and closed her eyes after he passed her. This way, she could feel the water push against her from the waves he made, could hear the moment he broke the surface. Her eyes popped open as he laced his arms around her, making her shiver. She didn’t like being held. Miranda turned in his arms as he whispered in her ear. “We’re in public,” she stated simply, before attacking him with a passionate kiss. It was different when someone put their all into a simple action, instead of going through the motions.

[Linden McKay]

Linden wasn’t usually for handholding or public displays of affection other than if he was being a flirt. The only time he showed any form of contact was kissing. He was surprised that he hadn’t been pushing her away or freezing up. Usually if someone got too close to him, he froze and went straight to computer mode. The only people that got away with being close to him was his family. This was just scaring him now. How had he managed to keep this up for so long? Why wasn’t she pushing him away? He felt her hand tighten around his and it eased a bit of his tension. If it wasn’t bothering her, then he wouldn’t let it bother him.

Linden watched her for a bit, but finally looked at the sand and thought about what he felt. Was it something he wanted to pursue? Or should he just stop thinking about it completely? He didn’t want to push Miranda away but he didn’t know how to be close to anyone. He didn’t know how to be a boyfriend. Sometimes he wished he had more experience in the department of dating, but at the same time, he’d heard that relationships all ended in someone getting hurt and he refused to be the cause of someone’s pain. Much less a girl’s. Love hurt and he wasn’t ready for that.

Her question caught him off guard and he had to think about it before he answered. Why would he be incapable of love? Because he didn’t know how to show how he felt. He didn’t know what he felt most of the time. He was incapable of love because he over analyzed everything and he never told people how he felt. He couldn’t possibly fall in love. It just wasn’t in the stars for him. Or was it?

Linden was surprised by his actions when he came up behind her. He most definitely did NOT hold girls like this when he was looking for a one night stand. It was too intimate for him, and yet, he liked holding her. He liked having her so close by. He watched her as she turned around and almost let her go to mutter an apology, but she kissed him before he could do anything. Had it been any other girl he would have been taken by surprise, but instead he rested his hands on her hips and kissed her back, attempting to ignore the frantic pounding of his heart.

[Miranda Suery]

Miranda wasn’t someone who enjoyed being close to people in general. And yet, when she was physical with someone, she felt as though she could express herself better than any words could contain. Whether it be on a bus, or at school, Mira did almost anything to avoid unnecessary human touching. It gave her unbelievable gooseflesh, which probably had something to do with her powers, but that she was willing to live without. When she was close to someone, it had to be by choice and for pleasure. Then it was more than welcome to exist.

At least they were in this together.

She didn’t know how to be close to people either. At least Linden had his family, Mira had no one. Unless you could count distant parents. They had never shown her love or affection for as long as she could remember, and perhaps even sooner than that. She didn’t know if she wanted to be with Linden more than what they were used to, and she didn’t know if she wanted to be pursued. A part of her thought Linden shouldn’t waste his time when nearly any other girl would be happy to be his girlfriend. And since when did she want to be his girlfriend anyways? What did that even entail? But wait, she wasn’t ready to be hurt again... Mira had been in relationships before, not good ones either. What if Linden ended up being like that?

Being convinced that you couldn’t love and actually not being able to were two very different things. Once was psychological, one was biological, and Linden was still every bit as human as every other meta. Mostly Miranda thought he was capable because he was feeling so hurt from his sister not speaking to him, how could he not also then feel love? Unless, love wasn’t an emotion, Mira still wasn’t sure.

Mira could see Linden in her future. Whether they be friends, more than, or bed partners, she had a feeling he would be there. Being with him, despite the cold weather, was warming her up, and she immensely glad that no one else was around. No one else was crazy enough to hop into the lake on such a cold day. It was a sweet kiss, a memorable one, something she, oddly, didn’t hand around. Like those porn stars who refused to kiss people because that was special to them. Miranda felt his hands on her lack of hips and let them rest there as she pulled away. She stared at his chest before looking up at him. This was getting to be too much for her.

“I should go home,” she said quickly and softly. He was going to hate her for changing her mind, but maybe hating her was better than what seemed to be brewing on the horizon. Maybe it would be better that way. She plunged through the water and back to shore, biting her finger nail as she gathered up her clothes.