I Can't Take Medicine With You Watching (Leiken)

[Leiken Chu]

Lei would come to frown slightly, "You should be. " The tone of lei's voice showed that he was not all forgiving for the topic. The last thing he wanted to talk about while he got over vincent was vincent. Though someone once told him that talking about what caused him pain would make it better. Who was that anyway? He couldn't recall.

Leiken watched the pair quietly throughout their exchange. Though he would say nothing as he ate that sandwhich. Giving glares toward the other male as if daring him to stay. Though of course softening his expression whenever Jun would look his way.

"Are you late, for a very important date, or something?" he asked raising a brow toward the kid. Using the same line that he used to ask his father when the man would hurry out of the door in fear of him.

Though his features would soften again as the other student wished him well, "Thanks, but you don't have to leave. Just stop asking me for my statement on stupid rumors made by petty little girls."

Lei made a troubled expression, "Ah.. somewhat.. still a little dizzy but i should be okay with a little more rest. " he noted hopefully. "yeah, some company. He stated sarcastically.

[Amos Freeman]

Amos was already mostly out of the doorway when he heard the other boy's teasing voice from behind him. His knuckles tightened around the doorknob and, in a very unusual act of spontaneity, he turned around and faced the two people he had been planning to leave.

"I--" he started, his head tilting very slightly to one side, a hallmark of his condescension. "You... let me give you a b-bit of friendly advice."

He wasn't thrilled about the stutter in his voice, but he pressed on anyway.

"If you don't want people to talk, or ask you, you know, questions, then you should probably... you know... you should stay out of trouble."

The silence was not only awkward now, but ringing, and slightly hostile.

"Five years of journalistic experience at your service. People only talk if you give them a reason. Just saying."

Jaw clenched and without the nerve left to look at Juniper, he shut the door behind himself and shuffled abnormally quickly down the hallway.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper was quite surprised when Amos returned in the doorway, and she looked back at him as he spoke, her eyes widening in shock at the tone of voice he was using. And not only that, but what he was actually saying. Lei's words hadn't exactly been kind either, and she clenched her hands together and asked nervously,"Is... Is everything all right, you guys...?"

But by that time, Amos has closed the door rather roughly and Juniper was left with her mouth open slightly, eyes still wide as she tried to comprehend her best friend's annoyance, or, perhaps, anger? She couldn't quite understand it.

She wanted to chase after him, too, but by then Lei was speaking to her, and she felt rude to just leave him. Besides, she had already told Amos she would talk to him later; she would just ask about it then. She hesitantly turned her gaze back to Leiken, managing a small smile even though her eyes were a little watery. "He's not... Usually like that..." she said, blinking a few times to clear her vision. Seeing her best friend like that just really threw her.

"I'm glad to hear you're doing better, though," she told him, scooting a little further inward onto his bed so she wouldn't fall off. Not enough to crowd him by any means, though. "Rest, and hopefully the food will help too," she agreed, nodding at the sandwich. She looked back to the door, still feeling abnormally anxious. "He's my best friend, you know," she told Leiken. "I... I don't know what happened, but... I don't see him like that very often." She reached out to grasp the spider plushie she had gotten for Lei, holding it in front of her before squeezing it to her chest.

[Leiken Chu]

Leiken glared at the kid, "I'm s-s-s-orry. I c-c-c-ouldn't u-u-u-understand y-y-y-ou" Of course leiken would normally not be so crude over someone having a stutter--no matter the reason. However, this kid was pushing his buttons already and Leiken was in no condition to deal with it.

"For one who speaks of staying out of trouble. You're on the fast track of walking right into it, kid." he stated staring toward Amos with one of those looks that made people glad that looks could not kill.

"Tch. No backbone at all." he stated aloud to himself as he watched Amos run off. He would have to give that kid a serious talking to when he was better.

He looked to Jun then, his experssion softening when he saw the tears building in her eyes, he sighed heavily. "I'm sure. I bring out the worst in people. " He stated to her as he rubbed his face a little. "You can go after him if you want. I'll be fine." he stated as he watched her.
"He's afraid." he stated plain and simple. "With every right to be. I am a monster Jun and he is a writer for the paper. I do not take kindly to people discussing me so openly for public ridicule. So he when he asked me questions about what happened so he could write about it I was less than Kind to him." he explained to her.

"It is probably for the best." he assured her. Watching her as she took the spider plushie he was hugging and hugged it to her own chest. He made a small sound, observing hr closely, resting his chin on his knees again. His body ached, but for the most part he was able to do so comfortably. "Go cheer him up if it will make you smile again, Princess."

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper didn't really understand what Lei was doing when he mimicked Amos's stutter - she didn't think he was cruel, of course, so she was confused - but she knew that something was up, and it made her even more upset.

But when he said Amos had no backbone, her eyes flashed a little, and she shot Lei a very sad, shocked look. "That's.... That's not nice, Lei," she murmured, wrapping her arms around herself. Her eyes grew misty again, and she wished she could somehow make whatever had just happened between the two of them not happen. "Please don't say things like that." It was hardly a whisper, but it was there.

When he told her to go after Amos, she looked towards the door again and started to seem to stand, but then she sighed and stayed where she was. "You don't bring out the worst in me," she told him, her eyes creased in worry. She wasn't exactly what her 'worst' side was, if she even really had one. "I'll... I'll talk to him later. He's probably a little ruffled right now, I don't know if I should bother him."

She looked up at him again, saddened beyond belief. A tear dripped from her eye, and she made no move to wipe it away. "You're no monster," she breathed. She had no proof about whether that was true or not, but she just couldn't imagine it. "I... I'm sure he was just worried about you, is all. He does write for the paper, but he would never do something like writing an article or whatever about what happened to you. That's not Amy." She made a small sound and wiped her eyes again. "I'm sure you guys just got off on the wrong page."

Realizing she had subconsciously taken the spider for her own comfort, she made an apologetic face and gave it back to him, before pulling her knees up to her own chest on the bed. "But, I mean, I want to make sure you're okay too..." she trailed off, feeling torn. She was already here, trying to console someone who called himself a monster, while her best friend was probably off somewhere, upset. A very faint smile touched her lips at the nickname. "Princess? Is that what you think I am?" A princess and a monster, a dragon - how oddly fitting.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei seemed irritated, both because of that boy, but because as well that he couldn't get vincent out of his head. Part of him wished he could forget he even felt anything at all, ever, for the man. However, he knew that would never happen and because of that his very soul was being tormented so violently.

"i'm sorry, but it had to be said." most of it anyway. Lei sighed heavily as he shook his head, "maybe not yet, but if you stick around me I will. It always happens. I'm a cursed monster." he stated to her lightly with a faint sad amusement.

"You seem so sure of that, but you don't know half of the things that I have done. I am a monster, Jun, and I don't want to see a princess sad because of me. " he stated as he reached to her. Weakly brushing his sleeve to her cheek. "you would be surprised Jun. He wanted my statement so that he could put it in the paper. He said so himself." he noted.

He looked to the spider then and hugged it close to himself again as she returned it. "I am alright." he assured her. " i will live. I somehow always do." he noted. "You are, you're sweet, and innocent. Don't let the monster hurt you Jun. You should run to prince charming before it eats you alive too."

[Juniper Birdsong]

"Please stop saying that," Juniper pleaded. He wasn't a monster. "You're just hurt. I know you're heartbroken, and I know it probably feels like you're being ripped apart, but you're going to get over this, Lei. You have to believe that."

She sat still as he brushed her cheek, locking her gaze on his in hope that he would listen to her. "I don't care what you've done," she told him quietly. "We all have a past, Lei, some worse than others. But it's what we choose to do with our futures that really defines who we are. You may have regrets now, Lei, but if you choose to change yourself for the better, you can change your fate." She reached her hand up to grip his lightly, pulling it into her lap so she could squeeze it with both of hers. "I'm sure he was just upset was all," she murmured. She wasn't going to take sides.

Juniper looked down and brushed her thumb against the back of his hand, taking a deep breath before mustering up a smile again. "I won't let anything happen to you," she told him,"so yes, you will live." She felt special now, because of the nickname, and laughed quietly as he spoke again. "Oh, Amos is wonderful, but he's not my Prince Charming. He's just the best friend I could ever wish for." It was hard for her to be sad for any length of time, and already her brighter side was starting to come out again. "I really hope you guys can be friends."

[Leiken Chu]

"I'm not so sure, princess. " he stated as he hugged both the spider and his legs near to him. It hurt, but it was the only thing that felt comforting to him right then as the emotions caused by his rejection flooded back to him like a tsunami crashing upon the shores. His lips parted with a pathetic sound as he began to weep again. He'd been holding most of it in since he woke up that night. Now it was just overflowing and it hurt.

"Can someone change their fate? Is fate not inevitable truth? " he questioned her as he exhaled softly. "If we change fate then would that not mean that our real fate was not what the fate we changed but in fact the fate we changed it to? I don't know if If i can continue this life as a monster." he stated in a distraught tone.

"Why ? Why do you still put yourself in danger knowing that i've warned you that it is likely harm will come to you if you're near me?" he stated with an embarassed tone. "I don't know if we can, but I will try for you Princess."

[Juniper Birdsong]

When Lei started crying, Juniper felt like her heart was ripping in two for him. Without really thinking, she scooted over to him and wrapped her arms around him, gently enough not to hurt him anymore than he had been already but tight enough so that he hopefully would feel comforted. "Shhh," she murmured, running a hand up and down his back. "It's alright. Everything is going to be okay." She wished she could do something more, but she didn't know what it could be.

"Maybe fate can't be changed, but that doesn't mean you can't change yourself," she murmured, feeling like this was getting a little above her head. Who was she to understand fate? "If you don't want to be what you think you are, then you just have to realize what it is about yourself that you want to change, and act accordingly." It sounded simple enough, but she knew it was far from it. "I can help you," she added quietly. "I just hate seeing people so distraught, sweetie."

She smiled faintly at his questions, thinking for a moment before replying,"Because I believe whatever it is about yourself that you're so scared about, you can control it if you really try. I think you're stronger than you believe, and you just need someone there for you to help you see that." She knew that if she could potentially be in danger because of him, but that just didn't matter if she could help him with his troubles. "That's all I ask," she told him quietly.

[Leiken Chu]

Leiken shook slightly, startled by her sudden hug, he could feel her pulse. He could feel his ability trying to pull at it, to control it, to manipulate it. However, he was not yet strong enough for it to take a very firm effect. He only hoped she would mistake it for the sensation of anxiety. He wanted to yell at her, to tell her to let go of him, to get away. He could not do that, however, no matter how much he wanted to. He sank into her arms as tears slid down his smooth cheeks. His chin resting to her shoulder before his face would burry to it a moment later.

Leiken let out an audible sound that expressed his pain. It wasn't quite a scream, but it was a close relative there of. "I don't know how to stop this hurting. I've heart even the one who broke my heart. How can I be less of a monster if i can't even control myself when my emotions get strained?" he choked out to her.

" I don't know that I am, Princess, I do not know that I am stronger than this. " he stated with a small hiccup in his own breaths. "I will try." he repeated.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper sometimes wished she was a little bigger so she could more easily envelope people in her hugs. Her five-foot-even, stick-like build made hugs from her feel like getting one from a child, she thought, but it was the thought that counted, right? She felt her heart flutter a little as she comforted Lei, continuing to speak quiet, soothing words in his ear as his head dropped to her shoulder. She wasn't sure why she felt that feeling, but she brushed it off as a random thing. He could stay there for as long as he wanted. She didn't mind. Her hand reached up to brush through the back of his hair, hoping that would help sooth him even if her words couldn't.

The sound he made made Juniper want to curl up and close her ears off to the sound, but she just blinked rapidly to keep her eyes clear and continued to hold him. "I don't know how either," she told him in a choked whisper. "I wish I did. I really do. But I just have to believe that it will fade in time, Lei." When he continued, she tilted his head up so she could look at him and make sure he was listening to her. "We're here so we can learn to control ourselves, Lei. We can't be expected to be able to control what we're given, not without help. Hammel was built to help people like us. I don't know what it is that you're struggling to control, but I'm sure there are people here that can work with you and make you stronger." She placed her hand on his heart, looking him straight in the eyes as she spoke.

"I bet you are," she replied quietly. "You just have to have more faith in yourself, Lei." This time, she pressed her own forehead to his shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around him once more.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei whimpered, more or less, as his hair was stroked back by her hand. Trying his best not to break down even more so than he already was. His tears would moisten any fabric that held beneath his face. Though he tried not to let himself become to emotional. The pain would only be made worse if he accidently hurt Jun too.

"I hope so.. " Lei would whisper out in an exhausted tone. His body trembling slightly as he shifted away from her at last, laying down on the bed and pulling the blanket over his head, hiding beneath it with the spider. He may have been grown, of age not to do such silly things, but it still hurt and it still helped to hide. "The person who was helping me is someone i hurt in many ways Jun. Have you not seen my trainer's arms? That kind of thing could happen to you too. I don't want that." he choked out.

"It was an accident that I hurt him. I don't want the same thing to happen to you." he choked out. "I'm trying Jun, but i don't know if i can." he stated after pulling from her hug to hide in his blanket-tent.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper got the message that he probably wanted to be alone now as Lei pulled his blanket over his head, effectively hiding himself from her view. She quietly stood, lacing her hands together and holding them in front of herself as she listened to him speak, her heart still aching for him. "You may have hurt him, but you didn't do it on purpose," she replied quietly. "That doesn't make you a monster. That just means you care about people enough to feel horrible for what you did." She paused. "Monsters don't have those feelings." She hadn't personally seen what had happened to Vincent; maybe it was best if she didn't. "It won't happen to me. I trust you."

She smiled faintly at the blankets. "I believe in you. That has to count for something, right?" She picked up her bag and added,"I'm going to go see Amos now, but you still feel free to call me if you ever need anything, okay? Hang in there." She brushed her hand over where the top of his head was before leaving the infirmary. She took a deep breath; she needed to go talk to her best friend now. Hopefully she didn't look like she had been crying. That wouldn't go over well with him.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei curled slightly tighter to her words. Giving a heavy sight. If only he could believe that himself. "Trust can't stop my ability. If it could then he would not have been hurt." though that was assuming that Vincent even trusted him.

"It does." he stated from beneath those blankets. Thankful that the hid his reddened cheeks. "A-alright. " he stated though he didn't really like that she was leaving him alone there to go see that prick. It made him feel slightly and awkwardly jealous.

"Be safe Princess." he called to her as he heard her footsteps.