A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Leiken)

[Leiken Chu]

"I know you are princess." he stated giving her a tender smile. "You're not lame, you're just adorably innocent, nothing you do is lame" he assured her. He wanted to make sure Jun knew just how special she was and that she never forget that she held a special palce in Leiken's heart. No matter what happened. Even if he was bad at understanding feelings beyond just the basics of attraction and lust. "I would not change you. Not Ever." he stated firmly.

"That's true, but he's also very much a good person. Did you know he stayed by my bed the whole night when i was hurt? He made sure I was going to be okay before he left at all." He noted with a smile. "What kind of man does something like that other than a good man?" he questioned with a shake of his head. "Ah. yes, Gray. I think that was his last name, b ut i have a hard time remembering last names. He is really cute. " he noted thoughtfully. "What makes you nervous about them?" he questioned with a tilt of his head toward her.

"I don't want you to tell anyone. Not even amos." he stated trusting that she would listen to him. "The reason i was so upset with Amos questioning about what happened with the attack of my ability is because it was my trainer that caused it. He rejected me. I had this huge crush on him, i..." he made a pained sound, his fingers drawing away from hers so that he could hug his own arms a little, seemingly troubled far to deeply by those thoughts he'd been hiding from. "I kissed him after one of our training sessions. He didn't push me away or anything So i thought he liked me too. He rejected me and it broke my heart. I wanted to die. My ability nearly killed me and nearly took him with me because he grabbed me to stop me from hurting myself..." he whispered to her.

"I just wanted the pain to go away, but he got hurt int he process trying to save me. having the fact that i kissed a teacher or having rumors started because the incident was caused by him rejecting my feelings. It would look really bad for him. I want to protect him from getting in trouble because of me and if Amos writes about things he suspects or people rumor. It only fuels the flames that make people think something happened between us. When reallly it was just me being stupid." he explained. though his hands raising to his face to rub there told tha the wounds were still very deep and still very fresh.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper's heart seemed to beat out a rhythm as Lei spoke, wondering how on earth she had managed to find someone who so openly told her such sweet things. It felt unreal, and she vaguely wondered if she was dreaming. "Thank you," she murmured, unsure of what else to say. "I wouldn't want to change you, either. You're wonderful, Lei."

Her eyebrows rose as he spoke. "Wow, really?" she breathed. "That's amazing. He must really care about you." She knew teachers often formed strong relationships with their students, but that was really something. "He's a very good man," she agreed in a soft murmur. She smiled as he spoke about Zander, but shrugged at his question. "I just don't like to not know whether or not someone is reading what I'm thinking," she replied. She wasn't an overly secretive person or anything, but it just made her uncomfortable. What if Lei could read her mind? He would know that Juniper was quite quickly becoming very smitten with him, although he might have been able to tell by her actions alone.

"I won't tell him," she promised firmly. She loved Amos, but if Lei didn't want her to tell anyone, then she wouldn't. She listened silently as he spoke, pulling the blanket wrapped around her closer to herself as her eyes widened at his confession. So that was what had happened. She let out a small sound of shock as he said he had wanted to die, and she was even more grateful that other teachers had been there to help. Even if Vincent had been hurt in the process, at least Lei hadn't died. She wasn't sure what she would have done if he had.

She dipped her head as he finished, trying to digest the story completely. Finally,"I'm so sorry that happened to you, Lei. A normal heartbreak is horrible enough, but throwing your ability into the mix...." She shook her head, hugging her arms tightly around herself. "I'm so glad you didn't die," she added in a choked whisper. "I'm so glad you're here." She couldn't help it - she wrapped her arms around him then, being gentle not to bump any of his bruises. The fact that he had crushed on and kissed a teacher didn't matter to her - what mattered was that he was okay. "I understand now why that bothered you so much, what Amos did. Oh, Lei, I'm so sorry," she repeated, pulling back after a few moments. "Thank you for telling me," she added in a low murmur. "I won't ever tell a soul about it." No, this was something that definitely shouldn't be spread around the school, that was for sure.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei shook his head a bit, "I'm not wonderful, Princess. The things that i've done are terrible. I'm afraid that if you learned about them you would see me for the monster I really am." he stated as he looked back toward the window.

Lei's cheeks reddened a bit at her words, he thought on it, speaking softly only after he had figured out a wording that wouldn't sound to terrible. "I know he cares about me, he's like the big brother I never had, ever since I met him he's done nothing but watch out for me. " he noted with a soft laugh. "Oh don't worry. If he was reading your mind he'd let you know." he stated with a laugh at the thought. "The first time i met him was by accident. He was laying in the floor in a training room crying because his head was hurting him. " he explained. "I tripped on him." he didn't explain further than that. He didn't want her to think the man was prone to violence.

"Thank you. I trust you Princess. I believe you won't tell him." he assured as if he were trying to make sure she'd have too much guilt to tell him if she even thought about it. Though he sighed softly. Rubbing his face a little after his short explaination was given. "Its okay. It's better that it did happen, because now I can focus on getting past it and back to training properly. It was hard training because all of my thoughts were about how cute he was and how much i wanted to do ... adult things... with him." he hated saying such a thing to juniper but he tired to word it in a more appropriate manner. Not that it would ever be appropriate. "It's fine. I just can't stand that kid. " he muttered a little.

"I trust you won't tell anyone Princess, you're someone I know I can have faith in, without doubt." he assured her.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper was quiet for a moment. Then,"You're wonderful to me," she murmured in a low voice. "I don't care what you've done." She didn't think there was anything he could have done that would deter her at this point.

She nodded slowly, tracing her fingers along the windowsill. "It's great that you found someone to treat you that way," she agreed, giving him a small smile. "Sometimes I wish I had a big brother. But then I realize I have Amy, and that's pretty much what he is to me." She didn't want to dwell on that, though, because this was Lei's life they were talking about now. "Oh really?" she replied, laughing softly. "Well, that's helpful, I suppose." Still, she didn't know how she would react to people responding to things in her mind. "Aw, poor thing," she murmured. Side effects were really awful sometimes; she was fortunate hers had never been too bad. She snorted a little as Lei said he had tripped on him, but didn't say anything, just shot him a small, amused grin.

Lei must have had a lot of trust in her, Juniper thought, to tell her all of this, and it made her entire body shiver with emotion. "You can trust me, I swear," she replied with a firm nod. Her arms disappeared inside the blanket again as a cool breeze blew through the room, without a source. Oops. She watched him as he continued speaking, unable to keep herself from biting her lower lip as he explained how he had felt about the trainer. "I see," she murmured, blushing despite herself. Still, Lei couldn't help his feelings, and she didn't hold his crush and wanting to do things with Vincent against him at all. "Then as much pain as it caused both of you, I guess it was for the best," she murmured. "At least things will get better now." She smiled faintly but sadly at Lei's words about Amos. "He's really a wonderful person. You've just only seen one side of him," Juniper stated quietly.

"I'm glad you do," she whispered, reaching out to take hold of his hand once more. She looked back at the telescope, then to him again. "I just remembered something Orion told us in Astronomy Club," she murmured. "Your nickname for me made me remember." She took hold of the telescope and adjusted it until she found the constellation in question. "Andromeda," she murmured, stepping back so he could look. "The Princess. Legend says her mother and father tied her to a rock, to sacrifice her to a sea monster to stop it from ravaging the land." She looked up at the sky, then back to Lei, watching his form in a ray of moonlight. "But Perseus, the hero that slayed the Gorgon Medusa, saved her from death. They ended up getting married and having a bunch of kids," she ended with a light laugh.

[Leiken Chu]

"You would if you knew." he stated sadly. His hand raising to rub at his own cheeks. "What if... what if I had killed someone...Would you still think of me so highly?" he questioned her with a pained tone of voice.

"You have Amos and your sister though, right? At least you have someone who is real family too. Even my own family isn't there for me." he stated making a face of disgust. Realising how horribly cliche his life was. He heard that snort and laughed a bit, "What? I did ! He yelled at me for it to. I don't blame him though i did squash him when i fell." Lei couldn't help but to laugh at the memory. " he may seem a bit scarey at first because he can read thoughts, but he's actually a really nice guy." he told her with a nod. "I'm thinking a bout taking some of his classes so i can see him jumping ontop of tables more." he laughed.

"I know that I can." he told her as he smiled to her with a sincere smile. "I don't know a bout that Princess." he trailed off. Though shaking his head about the thought that Amos had two sides as well, "I don't know about that. Mister stutterbucket doesn't seem to really change much so far. " he added. "Ah sorry. I mean amos. " he corrected knowing how she hated when he picked on him or his stutter.

He felt her hand on his once again and his cheeks warmed to that color once again. "Oh? What did he tell you?" He questioned her seeming to be quite attentive to the fact. He leaned to the telescope looking through it as he made a small noise, "Really? It must have been difficult to slay a monster that could destroy you with you with one look." he murmured as he looked to the stars.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper bit her lip, lifting her hand to hold gently against his own against his cheek. Why would he have asked if it hadn't happened? Still, she had already made the decision to not let anything deter her. "No," she murmured. "Because I know how terrible you feel about it, and I don't want you to have to live with that pain by yourself."

"I do," she smiled faintly. And she couldn't ask for more. But she frowned as she said he didn't have his own family, and she wanted nothing more than to tell him that she would be his family if he would let her. Instead she said,"You have Orion though, right? I mean, I know it's not real family, but it's something. And you have me," she added in a small voice. She giggled again as he spoke, trying to imagine Lei tripping over the teacher. "Oops," she replied with a smile. "I'm sure he is. He's always seemed nice when he's teaching." She had nothing against the man at all. But then again, she didn't have anything against anyone. "Ahaha, that's a good reason," she chuckled, her cheeks dimpling as her smile widened again.

It faded, though, as he called out Amos's stutter again. She really wished he would stop doing that. She was about to say as much when he corrected himself, and she let one corner of her mouth creep up into a half-smile. "I talked to him the day after we watched the movie, you know," she told him. "He wants to make things right between the two of you." She laced her fingers together and looked at them a bit anxiously. "I'd really like you to try. If only for my sake." Juniper knew that was a bit selfish, but it was the truth. She couldn't have her best friend and the guy she was slowly falling for hate each other.

"He tells us a lot of constellation stories in the club," she murmured, brushing her thumb lightly over the back of his hand. "I bet you'd really like it." Her free hand raised to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. "Oh, yes, Perseus was an incredible hero," she replied, pointing towards his own constellation, which was right next to Andromeda. "He was the son of Zeus, after all." She went to sit on the windowsill, pressing a hand against the cool glass as she gazed outside. "I sometimes like to pretend that my dad was a Greek god," she admitted with a little embarrassment. "I mean, he left when I was two, so I just like to think that he went back to live on Mount Olympus rather than just, you know... Leaving." Her dad wasn't a subject she talked about very much, but she wanted to tell someone her silly, childish imagination.

[Leiken Chu]

Lei made a sound as she touched his cheek, he looked to he as her hand rested there, "Princess..." he murmured softly to her. She was to innocent for her own good. 'Why can't you see? Why can't you see the monster that's inside of me? I don't want to hurt you. why are you doing this to me? ' he thought to himself as his heart ached inside of his chest. the pain he felt and the comfort all mixed together and pulled his insides into several directions.

Lei's ability struggled to control his own pulse, but so much so that blood started to trickle from his nose. Though he didn't seem to notice it until it touched his upper lip. causing his hand to slide away from juniper's to wipe at his nose with his sleeve. "you're right. Orion is the closest person I have to family. I am grateful for him." Lei stated with a small smile despite himself. Lei smiled a bit brighter to her, he couldn't help it, those dimples were completely adorable.

"You did?" he stated seeming a little surprised. "He said that himself?" he questioned a little in shock still. Though he struggled to believe such a thing. The look on her face seemed to express alot that her words did not to him. He sighed heavily, "I'll try, but only for you." Lei shook his head slightly, scratching at his head a bit, seeiming a little distracted. 'How am I going to fix things with that brat?' he thought to himself.

"Yeah. He really loves the stars like I do. He knows so much more about them t han I do though. The night I met him we spent hours talking about the stars and things like that." he stated reaching a hand toward the sky the way he ahd then. "It was really nice. " He admitted to her. "really? Why is that?" he questioned watching her carefully.

Leiken made a pained sound, a sympathetic expression crossing his features as he moved to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind. hugging her back agianst his body. Resting his his cheek to the fluff of her hair. "Oh Princess. I know that he did. After all, the gods sometimes left their children on earth to live among humans so that they could better understand the importance of their purpose." he murmured to her. He didn't understand it at all. How she could still always smile so brightly.

She truly was beautiful inside and out.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper smiled softly as he murmured at her. "I'm not going to stop being here for you. I promise." Even if it was just as a friend, or a sister, or whatever he wanted, she wasn't going to let him slip out of her hands unless that was what would make him happy. But she had to hope that the spark she felt wasn't just felt by her alone.

Her eyes widened in concern as blood began to trickle from his nose. "Are you okay?" she whispered, wondering if she had done something wrong. She had no idea what it could be, though. But he seemed fine as he wiped it away, so she relaxed again. "That's wonderful," she murmured. "I'm glad you found him. I know he doesn't have a family of his own, so I'm sure he appreciates your company as well." Most everyone knew the reason why Orion was teaching at Hammel. He was lonely.

Juniper couldn't remember what exactly Amos had said, but that was the gist of it. "Mhmm," she murmured. "He's just overprotective. But we talked it out. Everything is getting better now." She looked up gratefully at Lei as he spoke. "Thank you," she replied quietly. "I appreciate it so much."

"Well, he has lived quite a lot longer, and he studied astrophysics in university," she told him, remembering what the teacher had told the club a while back. "And he worked for NASA for quite a while too. He was bound to learn some stuff while he was there." She gave Lei a cheesy grin. "Oh, I bet that was lovely," she murmured in agreement. One of her dream dates was to lay on a grassy field in the middle of the night on a warm summer evening and gaze up at the constellations. She supposed that was sort of what they were doing now. "Oh, I just think you would have fun in the club, considering how much you like astronomy," she replied, gazing outside again. "He makes it really interesting, too."

She lifted her hands up to rest on Lei's forearms as he hugged her from behind, letting her eyes drift shut at the gentle embrace. "You think so?" she murmured quietly. "I'd like to think as much. All I can see is the beauty of the earth's creations around me, and think, how can everything be so perfect? I know I should be sad, or mad that he left, but really, the earth and sky and air and water.... It's all I really need." She wasn't sure if he would understand. "And, of course, love and friendship," she added quietly. "What more can we ask for?"

[Leiken Chu]

Lei sighed heavily, part of him wanted to shove her away, to yell at her so that she would leae him alone. So that she wouldn't run the risk of getting hurt. Yet how could he do that to her? That alone would hurt her too, he felt he was stuck in a compactor, crushed by both options.

"hnn? oh yeah i'm fine.. " he assured her. "I just get nosebleed sometime." though he didn't really explain what caused them. He nodded slightly to her, "Y-yeah. He wants to spend a day together during the break. I wonder what all we'll do. I wonder if he likes ice cream." he questioned aloud. Though he looked back to her. "Is there ice cream that vegans can eat?" he questioned her curiously.

"Don't thank me yet. I said I would try. It doesn't mean that he'll be cooperative." he stated with a nervous tone to his voice. He sighed heavily as he shook his head. "I don't blame him for being protective over you. You're so precious."

"That's true. " he added with a chuckle. "Nasa?" he questioned with a surprise and a look of excitement. "That's so cool! " though he made an embarrassed sound as he realized he'd just shouted that. "I will probably join it. The other clubs i'm in don't really do a whole lot these days." he noted with a chuckle.

Lei smiled affectionately, "I know so. " Though he did not he really wanted to comfort her in some way. So that she didn't lose that sweet smimle of hers to sadness. He listened to her speak and he breathed in the beauty that was Juniper. She was truly perfect, in every way, if he could ever imagine a supreme being into existance it would have been Junpier. Quiety he mused to her words, "Love." he murmured.

Lei hummed softly as he held her in his arms, closing his eyes slightly as he murmured in a soft voice, "My gift is my song~ and this one's for you." he sang softly to her. "And you can tell everybody that this is your song. It may be quite simple but... now that it's done. I hope you don't mind. I hope you don't mind. That i put down in wordsssss. How wonderful life is now that you're in the worlddd." He drew into silence but he hugged her a little tighter. For a moment, he just let things be as they were, he took in the peace of just being there with her. Letting all of his emotions, all of his pains, lock away for just that moment.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper would be heartbroken if he did any of those things. But, it would really be her own doing - he had given her many fair warnings. She was just too adamant about making him happy to let them push her away.

"Oh, okay," she murmured, but there was still a bit of concern in her voice. "Ooooh!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as he spoke. "That's great! I'm sure you guys will have a lot of fun. Ice cream always makes things better, too." At his question, she laughed lightly, nodding her head. "Soy ice cream, yeah. Or coconut milk ice cream. They're both pretty good." She didn't eat the stuff very often, but it was a nice treat on occasion.

"I'm just thankful that you're trying," she replied with a gentle smile. "He will. You'll see." She laughed and rested her head against his shoulder for a moment. "You make me feel like some sort of precious gem," she told him quietly. All of his compliments just made her heart soar.

"Isn't it!?" she replied with equal enthusiasm. Juniper didn't mind his shouting in the least. "You should! It's a lot of fun, and it's not very big, so you'd be able to join in really easily." She really hoped he would - she thought it would be something he could look forward to.

She let out a quiet breath at his words, letting herself relax completely in the warmth of his hug. She didn't think she was more special than anyone else - she just saw beauty in everything and everyone. The world was full of color and light and happiness, one just had to look with the right eyes. "Love is the most beautiful of all," she replied, nearly under her breath, feeling her heart quicken with the words.

As Lei began to sing, Juniper kept her eyelids drawn down, letting herself drift away to the soft sound of his voice near her. His words were perfect, and the song he sang felt so right in the moment, she felt she could burst with happiness. But she stayed silent, letting him finish the verse before she let her eyes slowly open again so she could tilt her head to look at him. "You sang for me," she breathed. Her eyes welled with emotion. "Thank you. That was beautiful."

[Leiken Chu]

"Does it?" He questioned as he gave it some thought. "I can't really recall. I suppose i've sulked so much in the bad things that i've forgotten to much about the good ones." he admitted. "I wonder if there's a place around here that serves those." he would reply after she confirmed that there was some that she could eat.

"I am glad you have faith in that, Princess. We'll see and i'll try hard for you so that you're happy." he assured her. He would try, but he wasn't going to promise her that it would work out the way that she hoped it would.

"I would not know." he stated sadly as he brushed her hair back a bit so that he could place a kiss on her cheek. "but I hope to one day." he stated with a smile. It was true, Lei had begun to question love entirely, had he ever had it? From his talks with vincent and orion about his past he wondered.

His cheeks held color to them as he looked to her eyes with her head tilting to look at him better, "You're special to me. I only sing for special people. " He murmured in an embarrassed tone."Not as beautiful as you are." He assured giving her lips a soft kiss. "You deserve so much more."

[Juniper Birdsong]

"Well, I hope you're able to think back fondly on the things we do together," Juniper murmured, a little saddened by his words. She didn't want him to sulk, but she knew he had good reason to. "I know I will." She smiled lightly at him. "You can get them at some stores, in cartons," she explained. "You can try some sometime with me if you'd like." She wouldn't force anything on him, though.

"Thank you," she said again quietly. As long as Lei didn't start offending Amos or making crude remarks, she didn't see any reason they couldn't get along. And she didn't think he would, as long as she was there. It was going to work, she really thought it would.

"I'm not sure I really do either. I mean, familial love, yes, and friendship, but the other kind..." She shrugged, closing her eyes at the soft kiss on her cheek. "I've never really felt it before. But I hope I can one day, too," she added back in a murmur. When she looked at Amos and Alto, she always felt overwhelming joy for them, and for how much they obviously cared for one another; she would love to have that sort of relationship with someone. Maybe she was starting to.

"You're special to me too," she told him, letting her fingers lace with his own. "I'm so happy I found you." What would have happened if she hadn't stumbled upon him that day in the cooking room? That black smoke had led her to something far more wonderful than she had realized at the time. Any other words were lost as he kissed her, and she melted into the soft gesture, wondering once more if she was dreaming. "I don't know about that," she murmured as they broke apart. "I'm completely content where I am, right in this moment." She rested her head against his chest for a moment, gazing up at the sky before giving a yawn. She wondered how late it was, and blinked sleepily as she pulled the blanket tighter around herself.

[Leiken Chu]

"I always will. " he stated honestly. How could he forget anything that he'd done with Juniper? She was a ball of sunshine that lit up his dark world. "Yeah? I'll have to keep that in mind." He stated with a smile. A plan boiling in his head, but for now he'd keep it to himself. "I'd like that.


Lei nodded simply to the words that she spoke in regards to Amos. Though he planned on visiting him to talk alone. Perhaps not a good idea, but he had little idea that she wanted them to talk about it with her there. "Don't worry, you will one day, I know it. You're to wonderful for love not to find you. Anyone who ends up as your partner in life will be the luckiest alive." He assured her.

"I am?" he questioned with a soft tint to his cheeks still. "I am happy to have met you too, Princess." he stated with a smile. "Isn't it kind of funny? I met you making food for the trainer that I had feelings for who ended up rejecting me. " he stated with an almost sad laugh. He slid his fingertips against her cheek as he kissed her softly, enjoying the affectionate gesture with her, he couldn't really help that. Though he couldn't help smiling when she spoke, "I am also. " Lei spoke quietly. He slid his arms tight around her as he shifted back to the floor beneath the blanket fort. Trying to pull her down with him.

He pulled the spare blanket he had laid aside over their bodies as he gripped her gently to his chest, "I want to sleep here with you in my arms. "He murmured softly to her.

[Juniper Birdsong]

Juniper's eyes creased happily. "I'm glad." Any amount of joy that she could bring into his world made her just as happy. She looked over at him as he spoke, smiling gently. "I would too." She didn't know that he had something planned, but maybe she would have to bring some the next time they hung out together.

Whatever Lei chose to do, Juniper trusted him to treat Amos as respectfully as Amos treated him. She had to hope that they would be civil with each other. Her cheeks heated up as he talked, and she looked away shyly, though a giddy smile lit up her face. "You're so very sweet," she told him quietly, squeezing his hand in her own. "I hope you're right. I'm not in any hurry to fall in love, but sometimes, I think, it can hit you without warning." She looked over at him again. "I'm sure you'll be able to find that love, too." If he could ever get past his broken heart, she thought he could have something wonderful.

"Very much," she assured Lei, nodding slightly as she gazed affectionately at him. When he asked the question, she smiled faintly, reliving that memory with him, when he had still been a total stranger to her. "I don't know if that's necessarily funny, but I think it might be... Fate." Could it be? Or was she just being her average day-dreamy self? It sure felt like it could be as her fingers softly brushed against his skin as they broke apart. Everything just felt so surreal and so perfect. This girl was falling way too quickly. She smiled widely as he said he was content as well, giving him another quick, sweet peck on the nose. As he wrapped his arms more tightly around her, she allowed him to lead her back into the fort, keeping him close as they settled down.

She snuggled against the blanket and wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her close, breathing in his faint scent as he spoke. "I don't know where else I would rather be," she replied quietly, lifting a hand to trace across his cheek, letting her fingers hover at the back of his jawline before pulling him in once more to press his lips to hers.

[Leiken Chu]

"I don't know about sweet, but I do not want to ever see you cry out of sadness." he stated as he brushed his fingertips along her cheek. "I am right." Though he tilted his head a bit, "hm. I do not know, but i think that is possible. " he stated with a smile.

"Fate? " he mused over the word that he'd heard alot about lately. "I don't know much about fate, but i know alot of people believe in it. Or at least would like to." He noted.

Lei smiled to those words and for now he would let them be the light that pushed away his dark thoughts. Maybe if he stayed around her she would blow away all those terrible memories and grant him happier ones to replace them with. Who knew? He leaned his cheek to her hand gently, before pursuing her lips with his own, kissing her softly. Then gently upon the bridge of her nose, then upon her forehead, and then he would settle there beside her. Holding her in his arms as he allowed sleep to take him over.