Not Usually so Fragile (Leiken)

[Ravyn Rozanova]

With nothing better to do, Ravyn had found herself drifting down to the first floor of the dorms, even though it was pretty late in the evening. There was hardly anyone around, which was great - she could use the quiet. Normally she would go pay a visit to Cam or someone, but she wasn't in a very sociable mood, and the couch by the TV sounded like a good place to be at the moment. She sat down heavily and grabbed the remote, flipping it to a random station about some nature documentary. It was about tropical birds.

She tried to pay attention to it as she curled up around a couch pillow, but her mind kept drifting off, thinking back to the dramatic change in her life. She had only just gotten back from her trip to Russia, and the pain that had developed while she was there was still fresh in her mind and heart. She found herself sinking further into the couch, wishing she could just disappear and forget about everything. But of course, that was impossible, and she didn't really even notice as her eyes welled up and a few stray tears fell down her cheeks unconsciously. Nothing felt right.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei sighed heavily as he moved into the common room. It seemed as though that night would be another sleepless one. His nightmares plagued him and there was little else he could think of to do about them. The methods that he'd been advised of were not helping with most of his sleep issues, but at least it was in other areas.

He was only half paying attention as he entered the common area. Not really seeing anyone else there and far to tired to pinpoint where pulses were coming from. He had intended to just stretch out on the couch and watch tv, hoping maybe it would help him relax, but instead he flopped down on the couch right on top of another person. Unintentionally, of course, his butt would plant right on the curled up figure. Startling him to the point that he would jump up as if he'd sat on a tack. "son of a --" he began as turned to look down at the woman who was the source of the couch-lump. "oh. my bad."

[Ravyn Rozanova]

Ravyn was lost in thought (and not really the good kind) when Lei came into the room, and thus wasn't even really paying attention to if anyone was around. In fact, she was curled up around the pillow so much that she couldn't even really see much of anything besides the blurriness of her vision and the darkness of the room around her. It came as a surprise, then, when someone suddenly... Sat on her. What!?

She yelped, immediately scrambling into a sitting position while wiping furiously at her eyes to try to clear them. Her heart pounded as she squinted, trying to make out the figure. It took her a moment to recognize the face. "Mm... Lei?" she asked, thinking it was him. She didn't know him all that well, but they had had some classes together. She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes again, hoping he hadn't caught her crying. "Uh, hey." Her voice was thick, and she cleared her throat, scooting over a little in case he still wanted to sit down. "You can change it to whatever you want. I uh, I wasn't really watching it." She motioned to the TV, still hugging the pillow tightly to herself.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei raised a hand to brush through the strands of his hair. That usual self-comforting gesture. It really did make him feel alot better. Though at the same time it wasn't as helpful as if someone else were doing it for him.

"eh? Oh it's you." he stated not particularly remembering her face "hey. I was wondering why the couch was lumpier than usaul. " he stated toward the woman who appeared to have been crying. He was curious, but it was not in him to pry and ask her why she had been. "I know it looks like you've been bawing your eyes out. " he stated as he sat down on the couch as well though maintaining a distance to avoid being touched.

"I hardly think there's anything worth those tears." he stated toward her. was he trying to comfort her? He was surely doing a poor job, but it was awkward for him. He didn't really know what he was supposed to say. He picked the remote up turning it to animal planet. She said she wasn't watching after all--right?

[Ravyn Rozanova]

Ravyn found herself unconsciously running a hand through her own hair to tuck it behind her ear, trying to keep herself from sniffling again. She hated being this pathetic.

She shrugged as he 'greeted' her, giving a small nod. At least he seemed to recognize her to some extent. "Ravyn," she offered quietly. Letting out a weak laugh at his comment, she shifted over a tad bit more. "I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't realize I would have company." She supposed it would have made more sense to have a small crying session in her own room, but she realized that, to some extent, she had been hoping for a distraction from her thoughts. "I, uh... Um." She averted her eyes, rubbing them again. "I guess I was." His blunt words stung a little, but she tried not to let it get to her.

"I..." She bit her lip, resting her chin down on the pillow. "Maybe not, but I can't really help it." She watched blankly as he changed the channels, stretching out her wings slightly to cool off from her tearfest. "Why are you up?" she asked, trying to change the subject. "Can't sleep either?"

[Leiken Chu]

"Ah, that's right. Ravyn." He repeated lightly. "yeah i know. I couldn't sleep so i felt like some tv." he explained. Lei looked to her as she wiped her face, "No really. Don't cry over whatever is bothering you. It just gives whatever is bothering you the win. If you want to really defeat someone you have to pretend it doesn't bother you." he stated before looking back to the tv.

"You'll cloud those eyes if you keep at it." he told her as he leaned an elbow on his knee. Propping his chin on his hand as he watched the television. "Not at all. Nightmares." he explained very short, simple, but less than sweet.

[Ravyn Rozanova]

Ravyn blinked slowly at him, then looked away as she felt her eyes begin to well up again. She managed to hold them back, though. "I don't want to defeat someone," she said in a whisper, pulling her wings forward slightly, almost like some sort of protective cocoon. She just... Wanted someone. "I can't pretend that it doesn't bother me, either, because it's my own fault." She knew he had no idea what she was talking about, but she still felt horribly guilty.

"Yeah, I guess..." she replied, blinking rapidly to make them stop watering. She tried to focus on the TV again, but when he answered her question, she looked over at him. "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." She curled her knees slightly inward. "Nightmares are horrible." She had started having them, too. Not a lot, but enough to make sleeping less pleasant. "I wish I knew how to get rid of them."

[Leiken Chu]

Leiken shifted to scoot further away as her wings wrapped about her. It was an odd sight. To see someone with wings, for him at least, and to see them curling into themselves like the way a spider's legs did when it died. "oh? Tch. Guilt is a sorry bastard. " he stated plainly. Though he scratched at his head a bit. Not really knowing how to deal with someone in that kind of state without taking advantage of the fact. Though perhaps it was a good opportunity. He hadn't had any sort of affection beyond being held in ages it felt like.

"They are." he stated as if it were all he wanted to say of it. Which was the truth. "Don't we all." he mentioned lightly. Placing the remote down and looking to her then. he'd decided. "What did you do to be guilty of?" yes it was an unusual thing for him to do, to pry, but for the purpose of the situation he would bend that rule to suit his goal of end results.

"Tch. You shouldn't shed tears. Those eyes are to pretty for that. " he stated leaning to one of his legs to try to peek through her wrapped wings.

[Ravyn Rozanova]

Ravyn let out a heavy sigh. It was selfish, really, to be crying like this over something she had done to herself. It didn't make it any easier to stop. "It is," she replied numbly, in complete agreement. "I can't help but think of what I could have done differently." If she hadn't taken Noah to that bridge, or shown him the lock, things would be fine now. But she had, and they weren't.

She peered over at him for a moment before tucking herself back inside her wings again. The fact that he had put down the remote and was looking at her like that made her feel self-conscious. "I... I think I might have pushed away my best friend," she told him, deciding not to go into the details of being in love with said best friend. "I don't know what to do." Because going to talk to him was sure to only result in bad things, she thought.

His next comment made her eyes widen, and she let out a very small, short laugh. "Th... Thanks," she stated quietly, pulling her wings back slightly. She noticed him leaning in a bit, but didn't move to back away. "I'm sure they're all bloodshot now," she grimaced, letting a curtain of hair fall against her cheek to partially hide her face.

[Leiken Chu]

"It happens. " he shrugged. "usually for a reason. " he mentioned as he watched her for a moment. The animal network yammering on about some animal cops show he usually caught mid-episode on nights that he could not sleep. However, his focus was on this woman for the time being.

"If they abandon you then they are not a real friend. "he stated firmly. which was part of the reason that leiken had so few. He trusted so little in people, no matter who, or what they were. "You accept it and you move on. " he was the last person to be giving advice on relationships in general. he had none that were worth anything and he had developed quite a case for alarm between him and his trainer.

"What for? " he stated in regards to her thanks. "That goes away, but those eyes will your body will age around. " he noted lightly. "Don't hide please. " he stated pulling his scarf off his shoulders. Offering it to her to wipe her face with. He didn't really care if it got moist. It wouldn't have been the -worst- thing he'd ever spilled on it. She probably wouldn't want to know about the rest.

[Ravyn Rozanova]

What reason could possibly exist for Ravyn being so impossibly selfish and making Noah leave her? She couldn't think of any. Still, she gave Leiken a nod, looking up once more to see him watching her. She wasn't sure why he seemed so interested in her troubles, but she appreciated it nonetheless. "I wish I knew what the reason was," she replied in a murmur.

Noah hadn't abandoned her. She had just made it too difficult for her to be around him. "It's not his fault that he left," she told Leiken, sinking a bit further into the couch. "I was being too pushy with my feelings. I'm an idiot." The truth was started to come out, but she wasn't making it easy. His next piece of advice, about moving on, made her sob once before she covered her mouth and fought to control herself again. "I could never move on," she told him. Noah meant far too much to her for her to ever allow that to happen, even if he did himself.

"Oh, just... Thanks for... The compliment." She shrugged, feeling more self-conscious by the moment. She knew what he was getting at; it was just so hard to stop the flood of tears once they started. Taking a breath, she pushed herself up slightly, glancing over as he offered his scarf to her. "I'm sorry," she told him, drawing her wings back against her spine completely and pushing her hair out of her face again while taking the scarf. "Thank you. Again," she murmured, rubbing the material softly against her cheeks. It felt soft and comforting against her skin. "I'm not usually like this," she told him, wishing he hadn't found her in such a state; she felt so raw, so weak, and she hated it.

[Leiken Chu]

"whatever the reason it doesn't matter. If it doesn't fix itself it usually won't fix." he stated though himself couldn't accept that to be true given his current situation. They -had- to get this under control.

"You think that now because your aching inside. " he stated awkwardly. Observing the woman breaking down in a mess of tears. Is that what he had looked like to vincent ? He nearly made face of self disgust, but he felt it would appear wrong to the woman if she saw it so he did well to suppress it. "You can move on." he assured. Giving her a 'just get over it' sort of expression for a minute. He'd never been in her position so he couldn't truly relate.

"Stop apologizing and thanking me. Neither are needed with me." he mentioned to her as he watched her wipe her face. "it's okay. People get this way sometimes." he mentioned intentionally saying people rather than everyone.

Lei's hand would extend, drawing his finger's to the woman's cheek when the scarf would brush there, shifting a little closer to her as he curled his fingers to the fabric of the scarf. helping her to wipe her tears away whilst leaning into her a bit closer. "It could be worse you know." he told her lightly.

[Ravyn Rozanova]

Ravyn took another shaky breath, nodding. She knew this would stop hurting so much eventually. It just hurt like hell now.

She wasn't quite sure what to say then. Would she stop feeling so guilty once the initial pain went away? It was hard for her to imagine. "I... I don't know..." she muttered sadly. "I... I guess it will get better over time." She sure hoped it would. Ravyn caught the look on his face and winced, suddenly feeling like the clingiest person in the world. "I'll try," she said. It was all she could do.

"Sor- um. Okay." She let out a small, nervous laugh. She was always thanking people, it was just part of who she was. Ravyn bit her lip and glanced up at him, shrugging a shoulder. "I guess, but I hate getting this way. It makes me feel weak." She used to be strong-willed and fun, without really a care in the world. Then reality had smacked her right in the face.

His touch surprised her, but she didn't flinch away, instead allowing him to brush the fabric against her skin. Her eyes studied him; at least they weren't watering so much anymore. Her gaze dropped automatically to his mouth as he leaned in closer, but she quickly looked up again when he spoke. "I know," she whispered. Her heart began to beat faster, and she wasn't quite sure why.

[Leiken Chu]

Leiken gave her a weak smile. Attempting to be as charming as he could be given the current state of his nerves. He wanted something from her so he had to play nice to get it for sure. It was rare when a weeping woman would hand herself over to a guy telling her not to touch him.

"Good. The past cannot change. It's a waste of time to cry when the future will be here soon." Unless you were a time manipulator of course. Though he didn't realize such an ability existed else he would have suspected it of Odion the moment his wallet went missing.

"Then do not be weak." he told her firmly. As if it were an easy task not to be. It almost pained him hearing her say that. He'd said it many times before and he knew his trainer was aware of how big of a fear it was for him. It almost made him feel regret, guilt, for what he waas planning. however, it passed.

he slid that fabric over her cheek, trailing his fingers upon the skin where the scarf would slip away form his fingertips, "It is good that you know. It will make things alot easier. " he stated as he noticed her lean closer. he could feel the movement of her blood quickening as her heart began to race. He tried not to focus to heavily on it, though he wasn't sure if it was her emotions, or his ability causing it to happen. Either way he needed a distraction and much--much more.

Leiken slid his fingers behind the edge of her jawbone, the way one would guide someone's face to their own,moving closer to her upon the couch as he leaned forward. Smoothly brushing his lips over hers. The gesture was much more gentle than the one he'd given Odion. he'd done it just to spite the other boy, he'd put no effort into it, no emotion; nothing. Leiken's plush lips sought to capture Ravyn's in an embrace that told lies of emotion. Carefully drawing his thumb to brush upon her cheek in his movements. A manner of soothing that had been done to him on occasion in the past and it had more or less stuck with him.

[Ravyn Rozanova]

Ravyn was surprised to realize that Lei's words were making her feel better. Not a lot, but just a little. It was especially nice considering she hadn't even asked him for advice; he was just giving it. She blinked once more, expelling the last of her tears for now. They would come again, but at least now, she could handle it. "You're right," she nodded, offering a weak smile. The future was unknown - who knew what would happen?

Do not be weak. The words reminded her eerily of her brother. Her jaw tightened, and she fought to push away the emotions that were tugging at her heart. It was mostly Lei's touch that helped distract her enough to really succeed at doing so.

It became much more distracting once the fabric slipped out of his fingers and he brushed her skin with his bare fingertips. She felt herself shiver slightly at the touch, almost missing his words. "Mm, yeah," she replied distractedly. If she had known he was a hemokinetic, she might have panicked at the thought that he could be controlling the pace of her heart - but she didn't, and she blamed it on her own nerves at being so close to him.

Her eyelids fluttered closed as his hand moved to bring her closer to him, and she felt herself being pulled inward until his lips pressed against hers. Her initial reaction was to pull away, and she did slightly before giving in and letting it happen. It was gentle, undemanding, and somehow felt right in her current state of emotions. She felt herself return it with similar feeling, bringing a hand up to rest against the back of his neck. After a few moments, she broke the contact, taking a minute to catch her breath. "What... Why..." She wasn't quite sure what had happened. She just stared at him with wide eyes, aware of how close he still was and how rapidly her blood pounded in her ears.