Star Light, Star bright (Orion)

[Orion Urswick]

Orion just chuckled and looked up as Lei spoke. "You're too kind," he finished. He had forgotten how this subject had even come up, but it was amusing.

Ah, so the boy had trust issues, apparently. That was far from unheard of at Hammel, or anywhere, really, but that didn't make it any less difficult for a person to deal with. "It's smart not to give your trust out willingly," he agreed. "But just remember we're all here to help you not only with your abilities, but with whatever else might be troubling you as well." Everyone had such different backgrounds, but it was easy to forget that Hammel was really just a school, rather than a place for those that didn't necessarily fit into society. It was just like any other place of education. "Ah, I'll remember that," he nodded, smiling. "Thanks for telling me. I'll make sure I don't stick my overly large nose into his office when he's busy." He smirked at the inside joke.

Orion dipped his head once more. "No pressure at all. Just wanted to put it out there." He took note of the warning, knowing he just meant it for Orion's own safety. "I'll keep that in mind as well. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable."

His eyes creased in sympathy when Lei proved his suspicion. "I'm very sorry to hear that. It's horrible to hurt the people we care about, especially when we don't have control over it." He was fortunate that his ability didn't have those sorts of effects, except from the occasional person being offended if he suddenly blurted at them to shut up when he was just trying to talk to the voices. Oops. "I'm sure it doesn't. But just know that you're not alone."

For a brighter change in subject, Orion offered the telescope to Lei. "Would you like to look?" he asked kindly, smiling. "It's very clear out tonight, so the stars are very easy to see." He could point out some constellations, if the boy would like.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei had forgotten long ago in the conversation as well. he didn't mind though as he was just enjoying the moments as they would come and pass.

Lei nodded faintly to the man's words. "I've heard those words a million times before so please do not take this as an insult to you, but i must call bullshit. " he stated with a tone that told just how deep his distrust for people went and just how much he had to struggle to avoid trusting people due to his own gullible ways. Once he let someone in they could do whatever they wanted to him to a point. They could lie, they could cheat, but until he found out the hard way he would hang on their very word. It was an unhealthy pattern really, just to believe the lies to avoid seeing the truth, but he had in the past. He did not want to live that mistake any longer. "Overly large nose? Your nose is just fine for your facial structure. " he pointed out.

Though lei seemed a little taken back as the man dipped his head somewhat. "t-thank you.. " he murmured. Waving his hand a bit, "I'm not uncomfortable at all !" he stated trying to think of some other excuse than that. "it's just that I tend to get carried away with touching. So it's best not to for your safety. " he lied. That wasn't the reason why, but he was sure somewhere in that man he knew the real truth.

"That's not true. I am very alone." He stated with a soft sigh as he stared toward the stars above them once more. Though as the telescope was offered over to him he looked to the man with a curious and almost excited expression, "yes!" he stated though correcting himself shortly after." i mean yes i would thank you. " he stated

"Where is your belt?" he stated with a light laugh as he took hold of the 'scope.

[Orion Urswick]

Orion's eyebrows rose at the student's choice of words, but he didn't say anything about it. "We're all entitled to our own opinions," he reassured him. If that was how he felt, Orion wasn't going to try to change it. "I didn't trust most everyone when my abilities manifested either. I couldn't believe the voices were something that was just going to become a part of me, no matter how much they told me. I had to learn to trust eventually." Hopefully, soon, Lei would find someone who he could trust that wouldn't hurt him. Everyone needed at least one person. He simply smirked at Lei's reaction to his joke.

It turned into a smile as the boy thanked him, and Orion waved a hand. It wasn't a big deal. He would offer it to any student that he thought needed someone to talk to. "Ahh," he nodded, understanding. "A lot of abilities are aggravated by touch, yes." He often heard whispers when he sat down somewhere, or touched an object that had been passed between people a lot. But he was certain it went beyond that for Lei, he just wasn't willing to pry.

A wry grin passed his lips. "We're all really alone, in the end," he muttered. Everyone died alone, after all. But hopefully there was something beyond that would eradicate the loneliness they both felt. He laughed, however, at Lei's reaction to his offer. "Have at it," he told him, handing the device over. His first request didn't surprised Orion, and he chuckled again. He could practically point out his own constellation with his eyes closed. "Well, Orion's Belt is part of the constellation of Orion itself," he explained, motioning towards the star formation in question. It was to the east of Canis Major, and pretty easy to point out, considering the three stars that formed Orion's Belt were extremely bright. "It's shaped like a sort of... Bow tie, almost," he told him, making the shape in the air with his finger. "See those three really bright stars, all lined up in a row? That's the belt. Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka." He smiled brightly. "It's been said that the Pyramids of Giza were built in alignment with the three stars," he added. He had done a lot of research on the constellation, of course.

[Leiken Chu]

"I suppose that's true" he mused over the thought. Though he sighed a bit, pulling at his scarf, picking at the fabric's fibers out of a nervous gesture. "Maybe i will. I don't know. I just don't want to. It just means people can get under my skin when i do trust them." he assured that man.

"yes, i suppose that is true, i've seen a few people who use theirs by touching. So i can agree with that." he mentioned lightly. It did go deeper than one would have initially thought, however, he would not share that with the man just yet.

"Yeah you're right about that. " he stated before drawing such an excited expressions s he was handed the scope. He brought it to his eye looking through the lens staring toward the sky with it. Raising the it to look toward the motioned constellation. His lips parted in an awed manner. "It's so beautiful." he stated as he cooed.

[Orion Urswick]

Orion couldn't help but wonder if Leiken's mistrust stemmed from not trusting himself. It was possible, especially given what he had learned about his ability, that he had hurt people in the past. "Sometimes we have to take risks in order to get what we want, or what we need," he replied quietly, looking up once more. "But if you can't trust someone, then that's all there is to it. Just give it time. You'll find someone who is worth it." He really hoped it was true.

He just nodded as Lei restated what he had said, agreeing.

"Isn't it lovely?" he agreed, sighing wistfully. "It was always my granddad's favorite constellation. It's why I was named after it." He looked around the sky a while more, before pointing once more. "Canus Minor and Major are behind Orion - his hounds. He was a great hunter, and they-" he motioned now below Orion,"-pursue the hare, Lepus." There were many tales of the great Orion, too many for him to go into. "What's your star sign, Lei?" he asked curiously. "I could point it out to you." Orion's was Aquarius, which was quite a bit farther to the east.

[Leiken Chu]

"mm. What if what you want or need is to far out of your reach that it seems to be more beneficial not to take risks?" he stated with a sigh. Though he smiled faintly to the man's reassuring words, "I hope you're right. The risk is to great just to give that trust to anyone." he stated almost sadly.

"It is beautiful. I couldn't imagine anything so great." he stated as he gazed through the scope. "It was a good choice. You seem to have a brightness about you just liike the stars do. I think that's why it donesn't feel terrible to talk to you." he stated though he listened as the man explained somewhat on the story of orion.

"It must be wonderful to live in the sky." he stated referring to the way the hunter always remained in the skies looking down upon them. Lei briefly looked back to the other man, "I am a Gemini in the western zodiac, but I am more used to the Chinese zodiac. My sign for that is the dog." he stated aloud before looking back through the telescope.

"Do you know what they say those under the sign of dog are like?" he stated though he didn't really give much time for the man to note if he did or not. "It's said that we're loyal, honest, that we have a strong sense of justice, that we play fair. " he chuckled a bit. "It says that we're naturally genuine and unassuming. That we're charming and magnetic effortlessly, but that we can be sharply argumentative if our believes or values are crossed. " he sighed a bit before lowering the 'scope again.

"It also says that those who under the sign of the dog are protective worriers. That though we come off as easy going and friendly that we're stubborn and sometimes make snap judgement. " He stated with smirk. "Does that sound like me?" he stated skeptically. Though there were certain points he could agree with, for the most part he had a hard time understanding even himself, perhaps for the best.

[Orion Urswick]

Orion paused thoughtfully, tilting back on the bench. "Sometimes... Sometimes, I guess, we just need to have a little faith," he finally replied, quietly. It was all he could really say on the matter.

He let out an embarrassed noise at the compliment. "Ach, thanks, lad. I'm glad you feel okay talking to me - I'm just a harmless old man, really." Still, his words made him smile to himself. He thought he had a brightness about him. That was a first. He hadn't felt like that for ten years - after the death of his wife, he had always felt like a bulb without a spark.

"Ah, Gemini. Lovely constellation." He motioned just a bit up and to the west of Orion. "It's just above Orion, actually. Looks like two people holding hands." Gemini's sign was twins, after all. However, the topic of conversation changed when Lei started talking about his Chinese zodiac, and Orion listened in interest.

He wasn't very familiar with Chinese zodiacs, but it was intriguing to listen to nonetheless. It was a lot to take in, but he pondered over the words, trying to make a judgment so he could answer the question.

"Honestly? From what I've learned about you so far, I think it's a little off." It wasn't a compliment or a rude remark, just an honest opinion. "But then again, I've always been skeptical of zodiacs. Mine is the dragon, for crying out loud - do I seem like a dragon to you?" She opened his mouth and held up his hands like 'claws' as he pretended to growl, but laughed it off a moment later. "Aquarius are supposed to be frank, intelligent, and logical," he mused, looking up at Leiken once more. Of course, he could go into much greater detail than that, but he didn't think it was worth the effort, as he had never been a huge believer in star signs, either. Still, it was fun to think about.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei made a small sound, almost feeling as though he'd burst into those 'feels', but he held it in as usual. "I suppose you're right."

He laughed lightly, "Old men are hardly harmless. Haven't you heard the story of the girl without hands?" he questioned as he leaned back to the bench somewhat exhaustedly. Exhaling a long sigh as he did so. Part of him wondered what it would be like if he openly trusted people again, would it be bad, was it bad before? He couldn't really recall anymore.

"It is. " he'd agreed. Looking to the stars location briefly before he explained that bit about the chinese zodiac.

Though he made a surprised sound as the man spoke so bluntly. If it had not been for the man saying what he did and doing as he did after the fact he might have been upset, but how could you be upset while looking at a grown man do that. Lei did something he did not often do, he burst into a small fit of laughter, grasping his scarf to hide his face as he did so. ONly lowered it again after he'd calmed enough to look at the man straight in the face again.

"Interesting. " he stated with an air of a laugh remaining in his voice. "So would you say that gemini is more accurate for me?" he questioned the other man as he wiped moisture from the edge of his eyes from where he'd laughed as hard as he had. It felt good, awkward, but good to laugh again.

[Orion Urswick]

Orion laughed. Sure, most old men weren't perhaps harmless, but he felt that he was. "I haven't," he admitted, wondering what the connection was. "What is it?" He was curious now, tapping his foot against the ground.

The laughter that came out of Lei after Orion's impression made the older man grin widely, and he, too, chuckled. He felt like Lei wasn't the kind to laugh often, and he was glad he had managed to get him to do so. "See? Harmless," he smiled. He really was a kid at heart, even if the years of baggage had weighed him down tremendously.

"Gemini, Gemini..." Orion mused, thinking back to what he remembered about the sign. "Hmm. Complex, dual-natured, elusive, and contradictory, as much as I can recall," he said. "I don't remember a lot about it. Would you say that sounds more accurate?" he questioned. Lei did, after all, know himself much better than Orion did. He smiled as Lei wiped at his eyes, though; it was sad when a young adult didn't laugh very often.

[Leiken Chu]

He mused slightly at the other man's question, "You haven't read it before?" he seemed a little surprised. "It is part of the grimm brother's collection. " he explained. "in the beginning an old man appears in the woods while a poor man is chopping wood. The old man asked the man why he tormented himself chopping wood all the time. The old man said he would give the man great riches if he gave him what was standing behind an old mill. The wood chopper told him 'what can that be but my apple tree' thinking that was all the man wanted he signed it over to the old man. The old man laughed and said he would come in three years to get what belonged to him but then he went away. When he returned home to his wife she asked him where all the riches had come from.


There were boxes and chests filled with it that had appeared out of nowhere. The husband told her of the old man and the deal they'd made if he signed ovver what stood behind the mill sweeping in the yard. However, the woman became immediately frightened and she exclaimed to him that it had not been the tree that it was their daughter who stood behind the mill sweeping the yard. " he stated with an amused tone. Looking through the telescope to the stars before continuing.

"The girl was beautiful and pure. She worshiped god without sin you see. So when the time came that the devil returned she washed herself clean and drew a circle around herself with chalk and the devil appeared early in the morning. However, he could not approach her. The devil spoke to the wood chopper to keep water away from her so that she could not clean herself otherwise he would have no power over her. The wood chopper did what he was told. The next morning came but she had cried into her hands so they were clean so he could not approach her. So the devil ordered the man to chop his daughter's hand's off. The man protested at first, but the devil told him if he did not then he would take the man instead. The girl's father went to her and told her that the devil said if he did not chop off her hands that he would be taken and that he feared not keeping his promise. He asked for her forgiveness for what he was going to do to her. His daugher said to him to do what he wanted with her because she is his child.

So her father chopped off her hands. The devil came, but she had cried so hard and for so long onto the stups that they were entirely clean and he had to give up for he'd lost his claim to her. Her father told her that since he gained great wealth through her that he would take care of her for her entire life, but she told him she could not stay there and that compassionate people would give her all she needed. "he mused over the story a bit. "There's more to it than that. she ends up being taken in and married by a king who had silver hands made for her and ended up baring children while he was away to war. The devil played a trick and swapped the message of her delivery with one telling the people to kill her and her child. She had to run away with her child. she meets an angel who cares for her while her husband searches for her after he finds out the truth of what happened. afer seven years, i think, he found them. her hands had grown back int he presence of god and she had to show him it was her by presenting the silver hand's he'd made for her. Then they lived happily ever after. " he explained with a soft laugh.

"Yes, quite harmless." he stated wiping a tear obtained from a strong laugh from his eyes with the edge of his scarf. The man was alot more pleasant to be around than most people his age. Perhaps that was part of the reason he had a hard time making friends as well. He made a small sound, shrugging a little, though he did know. "Gemini sounds quite a bit more accurate. " he noted.

[Orion Urswick]

"Oooh," Orion replied. He had, of course, heard of the Grimm brothers' tales, and had read a few of them himself, but they were a little gruesome for his taste. He preferred stories with happier endings, if only because he wanted to let himself be swept away from the pains of his own life for a while.

He listened attentively to the story, grimacing in appropriate spots and letting out noises of surprise or disgust in others. Overall, it was a fascinating, if gruesome, story. "What a selfish father," was the first thing he said, his brow furrowed in irritation. "But at least the girl was happy, in the end." He sat for another few quiet moments, digesting the story. Then,"We're not all like that, of course. Cruel and selfish. We all can be, but there's goodness in us all, too." He smiled grimly. "And if I had a daughter, or a son, I would never, never do anything that unspeakable to them." He almost felt like reaching out and ruffling the boy's hair affectionately, but that would be weird, he figured. So he didn't. Just stared up at the sky. "Thank you for sharing that, though. It was fascinating."

At least Leiken didn't seem as uncomfortable around him as he had earlier. That was good. Orion didn't like making people uncomfortable. "Is it?" he questioned about Gemini, looking at the constellation once again. "Star signs are intriguing, and it's fun to believe that we all are put into these twelve categories depending on when we were born. But, Lei, don't ever let the stars run your life. As easy as it is to let your head stay in the clouds forever, sometimes, you just have to face reality no matter how much it may hurt." With a kind smile and a nod, Orion reached out to take the telescope before standing. "I should get back to grade some papers. But I had a lovely time chatting with you, Leiken. Let's do it again sometime, yeah?"

[Leiken Chu]

"Exactly. " he stated with an amused expression. "In the end perhaps, but it was a cruel journey to happiness." he stated lightly. Though a small surprised sound escaped his lips as his hair was ruffled. "I would hope not. I'm not sure I could trust a man who would chop the hands of his own children off to save himself." he mused. "You're welcome i'm glad you enjoyed it." he stated always finding darker themed readings more entertaining.

He nodded slightly, "yes." Leiken stared at the stars, looking through the telescape for a moment longer before lowering it again, "Reality. It blows. " he muttered slightly. Though he knew very well the man was right. He didn't want to live without hope. He handed the telescope over carefully, so that it would not drop or break, "I should be heading back anyway. " he stated casually as he stood. "I did talking with youa s well. you're not bad for an old man. " he stated with a shrug. "Maybe i'll just happen to be in the area again sometime." he stated looking down a bit.

[Orion Urswick]

Orion chuckled. "I wouldn't expect you to trust me so soon anyway. But maybe someday I will earn that privilege." He would leave it at that.

"And remember, I won't tell anyone you were out this late," he reassured him as he stood, grinning widely. "You were just having a study session with ol' Mr. Urswick." He laughed. "I'm glad you think so," he added about not being bad for an old man. "I think you're a bright young student, Lei. Keep your head up, yeah?" With a wave, he wandered off into the dark. He did hope to see the boy again soon.