Clarity (Lani.)

[Lani Hunter]

That was Captain Obvious for him. Maybe the Lieutenant had missed him and he felt the need to make an appearance. Imagining this point right here, back from when they had first met. Past Lani would have laughed at someone were they to tell him this was real. And from the present Lani couldn’t imagine why he had hated Odion. Well, perhaps he could, but it all seemed different now. Looking back it was almost like he understood. Odion was fun. Lani had to admit he had to take back what he said about Odion being no fun. At least he would in his head. He didn’t have to say it out loud. Pride was a precious thing and soon enough he’d be admitting that Odion was indeed fun. A trickster in his own right.

Lani focused back on Odion and gave him a flabbergasted look. Why would Odion want his power to come after him? Was he insane? Odion was insane. It was the only logical explanation. He couldn’t think straight long enough to seriously ponder Odion’s sanity, which was probably a good thing. His fingers twitched and finally he couldn’t take it anymore and they reached for his pills and soon sweet relief was headed down his throat. Beside himself with worry Lani tried his best to not let the terror in his own heart shut him down completely. He could always go back to that dark place in his mind. He shuddered at the thought. It always felt like his power was lurking in there. Searching for him. Maybe if he didn’t run away it would find him and he would understand it but he had been too terrified to leave himself to the mercy of its claws.

Eyes looked back up and focused on Odion. He tried not to make any expressions but he was sure his frown deepened just a hair when Rhett came back. The blond may have apologized and he may have even apologized to Adrianna but Lani had decided he could forgive him if not like him. And Lani had not even neared the like side of the spectrum. He wasn’t even close to the middle ground yet. Lani shook it off and watched Odion forcing himself to focus. This was important. Lani’s eyes widened the more Odion spoke and he had to admit he felt a twinge of fear. He’d told fate to screw it but maybe fate had decided not to listen. On the one hand it comforted Lani and his heart surged at the idea of being together in the future for a long time. On the other hand it sent a chill of fear down his spine, what if they were trapped together because of this? What if because fate wanted them together they would be? What if they ended up hating each other, like Adrianna hated him?

“Was that when… before we met in the field?” Lani asked warily indeed remembering what had happened. Had that knowledge made Odion stay in the field that day? Lani felt doubt planted like seed and flower in his mind. What if Odion hadn’t had those visions? Would he had walked away when Lani had let him go? Lani swallowed and tried to pull his mind away from thought. They were together now and they were happy. Right? Did it matter what fate wanted from them? Fate. Damnation. He wondered if that was why when Odion’s power worked over his Lani felt chains. Maybe they weren’t bad though? Lani wrapped his arms around Odion and shook his head. He’d never heard of not bad chains though. “I don’t get how these powers work,” Lani said in preamble, “But I know that mine knows yours when it feels it.” He released Odion and gave him a sheepish grin, “That’s kinda why I didn’t kill you just now. That’s not the point. I have to ask. If you hadn’t seen that… those things, would we be here?” His heart throbbed from asking the question. He didn’t doubt their feelings for each other but he was afraid of fate throwing them together whether they liked it or not.

It was like something from a book he had read. Two people when they met and were true loves were shoved together by fate. They really didn’t have a choice in the matter. They never seemed to mind and everyone seemed to be jealous of it. It was true, one could not choose to love someone. But was it possible to be forced into it? By fate or other means? He knew one thing. Fate or no fate, power or no power he loved Odion. Maybe that was all there was to it.

[Odion Martins]

Odion probably was insane, he hadn’t exactly been checked out for such a thing, but it was more likely than not. Nothing about him was normal in any sense of the word, and he didn’t fit into society very well. He bent the rules until they broke and just kept on pushing. Odion watched Lani down his pills with vague curiosity, though it was something he should’ve long been accustomed to.

Rhett wasn’t something Odion liked bringing up, and every time he did, it was like resurrecting the blond. There was much of Odion’s past which he would rather just stay buried, but life had different plans. The redhead saw a mix of emotions on Lani’s face and he wondered if he had told Lani sooner, would the telekinetic have left, unwilling to make their tie stronger? If that had happened, Odion would have only fought harder for Lani, but who knew if the blond would’ve wanted that. Judging by the look on Lani’s face now, Odion was glad he hadn’t shared too soon, and even now may not have been the right time. But with what their powers were doing now, something had to be known.

Nodding once, Odion still couldn’t bring himself to look at Lani. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle knowing what he knew, and perhaps that was because he was insane, but he wasn’t sure Lani could know the truth without being absolutely affected. People weren’t supposed to know these things, what if they felt obligated because time said so? Because there was no alternative? Odion had tried to let Lani go a long time ago, when he went to France with Rhett. He tried to let go when Lani caught him in the field. Lani hadn’t known then, and it had happened anyways, so, Odion simply tried not to think about how they were connected and why. It would only serve to drive him mad.

A hard look on his face, Odion could feel Lani’s arms encircle him, but he didn’t return the gesture. What if this wasn’t what Lani wanted? Did it matter if it was what he wanted? His explanation hadn’t made sense and Lani said as much. “How would I know?” Odion asked rhetorically, bitterly. He couldn’t unsee it. Fate had thrown them together whether they wanted it or not, but this was why Odion didn’t share these things with Lani. Didn’t want to burden him with the inevitable long before it happened. “I wanted to be with you long before I tested the future, that’s all I know.” He had fought against it at first, not because he didn’t want to be with Lani, but because he wanted to make his own path. “I’m sorry for troubling you...” he said, because he knew how Lani thought and he knew how things didn’t make sense right now and he couldn’t fix that.

[Lani Hunter]

If Lani could forget that Rhett existed at that would be glorious. But fact of the matter he was part of Odion’s life and Lani wanted to know all of Odion and Rhett was part of that. Admittedly Odion’s fear was not without grounds. Lani wanted nothing more than freedom and being tied to someone forever was a scary thing. He knew he should be happy to know that they were connected in such a way, but if they weren’t would they still be here. It was an unsettling question. If it weren’t for fate would they still be here with each other, fighting just as hard to keep themselves together. Or maybe that was where the fighting came from. Maybe it was being born from them being forced together and testing each other to see if the other would leave if something was said or done. As trying to force themselves apart was making their connection more real than a whole lot ties.
Was it supposed to be this hard? Did it feel like this when his parents had first started dating? They were definitely in love. Lani bit his tongue, he couldn’t even ask them without giving something away. Why was this so hard, and why did it feel like he was going through it alone? When Odion was right there. Odion kept shutting down on him and Lani didn’t know what it was that he had said or done. How did Odion expect him to take it? He didn’t want to be trapped and he didn’t know how to not be trapped because he didn’t feel trapped. It was making him think he was trapped and his power felt trapped but that was because it was being pulled where it wasn’t supposed to be. Maybe it translated through to being trapped in a relationship but Lani loved Odion and that might be the only thing he was sure of.

So when Odion snipped back at him Lani stepped back and crossed his arms at Odion. Lani felt his heart soothed by the statement but the last apology set off a flare. Did Odion expect Lani to have everything figured out after just hearing the news? He did know he said the wrong thing. He should have denied it and told Odion that he loved him. He did, he loved Odion so much it hurt sometimes. And this whole thing was way over his head. It was bringing in fate and love and things that he had no control over. “Why do you always do that?” He asked coming off a little harsher than he intended. “Damn it, Odion! You can always trouble me. You just have to talk to me, I can’t read minds.” He implored. Why did they have to fight all the time? And why was everyone suddenly worried with burdening him?

[Odion Martins]

Perhaps it would be wise for the both of them to simply enjoy what fate had brought them, and if it should continue, to be happy. It was something Odion tried not to dwell on, and instead, he had made himself crazy. He didn’t want to take Lani for granted, and he didn’t always want to know just how consistent his power was.

Odion wasn’t sure what he expected. He felt like the messenger who had been shot for delivering bad news. He felt like he had said the wrong thing, had high expectations of Lani. Odi’s eyes took on a sharpened look, and if felt as though he had swallowed knives when Lani spoke next. “Why do I always do what?” He asked, even though he knew exactly what Lani meant. Odion balled his fists and pressed them against his eyes. “I don’t want you to think I’m controlling this,” he said, because he didn’t want Lani to think he had replayed these moments until they worked out into what he wanted. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to be with me,” he further explained, “that would be grotesquely unfair, I would never do that to you.”

He was just trying to figure things out, and looked absolutely dejected for having even tried. Was power training really so complicated? Odion neared Lani, reaching for his hand. “I don’t want to push you away.” But it felt like he had to, because he was too much to bear – it was how he had always been treated.

[Lani Hunter]

That wouldn’t be their way, to sit back and let fate take its course. Fate or no fate. If the being tried to tear them apart now that was something Lani would fight with all of his power. The was new information and Lani was bad a processing things quickly. Especially not with his mind already in disarray and his heart screaming in one ear while his head bellowed in the other. Lani fell in favor of his heart and for the time being he didn’t care if fate had brought them together or kept them together. This was a relationship between two people, not three. Fate could go stick it’s nose in someone else’s relationship. If they were going to make this work it was going to be between the two of them.

Lani gave Odion a blank look, unsure if Odion really didn’t know or if he was just paying dumb. “Shut down like that. You do it all the time.” Lani said resisting the urge to throw his hands up in frustration. Lani blinking in surprise. That thought had honestly not crossed his mind. Lani was too busy contemplating the supernatural. Now he knew why his reaction had set Odion off. If he was having the same train of thought it would eventually come back to Odion redoing things until they worked out. But then a major part of Lani couldn’t quick sit with that. “I know. I never thought you would.” If Odion did Lani doubted they would fight so much. Lani shook his head at Odion. Did Odion think that was how Lani operated? If he felt forced into something he would fight it but he had fought it so long and in the end when he lost he wasn’t disappointed. He’d already fought this. And now he was fighting for this.

“Odion,” Lani said slowly and with forced patience, “If I felt like that I wouldn’t be here. I want to be with you. And fate or your power or whatever the hell this is has nothing to do with that.” Lani tried to stop his tongue from flowing through the next thought but it acted without him. “Why don’t you tell me when something’s bothering you?” Did Odion think he was going leave? Just because of that? Because of a theory. No, emotions were strong and if he knew anything after today it was that they were strong toward Odion. Was Odion keeping other things from him? Lani knew he was keeping things from Odion but he didn’t think they were important. But he wanted to know if Odion was and why. Lani’s eyes softened and took Odion’s hand. “Then why are you trying?” Lani asked in an air of sadness.

[Odion Martins]

“Shut down like that. You do it all the time.” Odion was still looking away, still trying to hide that desperate sadness that usually ended in tears. It was a swell that started deep within his chest and then rose into his ears, and he half wondered if the pressure alone was what caused him to cry. But no, he cried because he was sad, sad that he didn’t know how to open up when he needed to. It was just his reflex to run, but it was no longer the easy way out. Nothing was worse than wanting to let someone in, and not having the key to your own heart.

“Besides, I hardly think I can if I wanted to now,” he said offhandedly. Where he went, he wanted Lani with him, and that had just caused a lot of power confusion. Hadn’t he always told Lani he didn’t want to rewrite the past anyways? Why was he so adamant on proving himself when he had already gained Lani’s trust in the matter? Odion was thinking of how he could’ve made Lani think he was fighting for what they had, when that’s what he knew was going to happen. What if he, Odion, had made himself forget it in order to find happiness where otherwise there would be none? What if this was all planned out and he had no idea? It was entirely disastrous to think about and Odion refused to voice the rest of his thoughts, despite how they preoccupied his mind now. Was something like that even possible?

“Everything bothers me,” he said listlessly, going back to his default position. Listening quietly, Odion looked at Lani, lost and confused. This was why Odion had focused most of his attentions on Lani, not thinking about himself in the process or how utterly confusing his own power was when Lani’s felt so much bigger, more problematic. At least Lani hadn’t given him any false impressions about that... But Odion hadn’t known his power was so demanding until he met Lani – it was a two way street, as he had always imagined but chose to ignore. Odion inhaled sharply. “Because I don’t want to hurt you,” he said softly, quickly enough that his response could only be true. It wasn’t a theory, it was a fact.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani sometimes wondered what Rhett had done. Lani had not opened up to Adrianna and when he had Odion had been there to help him put the pieces together, well eventually. So maybe it had been easier for Lani to let Odion in when he was already broken. In many ways Odion had helped fix him and so he was already inside. But he’d always likened getting things out of Odion to pulling teeth. It was hard and Odion had been with someone, perhaps it was because Rhett had treated him badly, and that was what made it hard for him to open up to someone. But he would be damned if he let someone else compare him to a past boyfriend. Adrianna had done that and he wouldn’t let it happen with Odion. Odion had a hard time opening up because he was afraid of letting anyone in.

Suppressing a sigh Lani watched Odoin as his expressions changed from sadness to confusion to just plain lost. Hadn’t he been the one who said that getting lost wasn’t a bad thing? Maybe he needed a reminder. He could almost see the thoughts as they flashed across Odion’s face. He was so afraid of manipulating everything and Lani could only shake his head. What could he say to that? If he said anything perhaps Odion would think he had gone back in time and changed something to make Lani say something. It was all way over his head at the moment. The world wasn’t supposed to work like this. It was supposed to be bound to rules of space, time, forces. Gravity, electromagnetism, strong, weak. But everything about the development of meta humans denied that. The mind wasn’t supposed to be able to pick things up and move them. The mind wasn’t supposed to make time turn around.

Lani felt as if he had been stabbed. Everything. Everything was a rather broad topic. “Good to know,” Lani said a touch of bitterness coming out of his voice. Hearing Odion’s reason only brought more frustration into Lani’s heart. He let go of Odion’s hand and planted them on his hips as he looked at Odion for a moment trying to figure out if the redhead might be sick or something. Lani crossed his arms as he thought of his answer. “I won’t break,” he echoed Odion’s own claim for being able to deal with Lani’s power. Lani hoped that Odion admitted that quietly because he knew that this was coming.

[Odion Martins]

When Odion had first met Lani, many comparisons were made between the blonds. It just couldn’t be helped, not with the stage Odion was in. Now things had changed and Rhett rarely if ever crossed his mind, and it was only to state the obvious – that he was better off without him. Odion thought Rhett loved him back once upon a time, but that had been a horrible lie he had believed because he hadn’t known any better. Lani had made sure Odion could see that in broad daylight, and it had been too much to accept at first. It was shameful, to know that he had allowed another human being to treat him the way Rhett had. And that was why he wanted to run away and hide.

Odion was intentionally hurting Lani, there was just no other way to get around this. They both had a lot of baggage and neither of them knew how to drop it off safely. They may as well have been carrying around TNT that could go off at any moment. When Lani withdrew his hand, Odion had to hold back a whimper. Why was this so topsy-turvy? One minute he was high as a kite, the next he had put himself into a hole and it seemed only when he reached out to Lani for help could he get out of it. So he did the unthinkable, and hugged Lani fiercely. He didn’t care if Lani pushed him away, but Odi had to know Lani was there, that he really wouldn’t break. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said, his own way of saying that he was going to try and be the same for Lani.

[Lani Hunter]

Maybe that was the way that fate worked. Maybe it only set up all the pieces and then someone had to take the initiative and act once all the pieces had been laid. This kind of all made Lani think of a movie but he couldn’t quite recall the name of it. Oh well, it wasn’t important now. This was. This utterly confusing and strange conundrum they had gotten themselves into. Lani blinked in shock, he was not expecting a hug from all of this. He had to admit he was a little overwhelmed by everything. The emotions, the fate, the crazy way he didn’t seem to care about it all. Lani stood there with his arms cross and Odion’s arms around him. Lani couldn’t hold back a sigh and yet he found himself smiling. He didn’t loosen his arms from their crossing and instead dropped his head down to rest it on Odion’s as if terribly weary. “Why do relationships have to be so hard?”

Lani figured that was one thing they could say against fate. If fate had forced them together then everything would be perfect. But their emotions were too strong for that. And they were thieves that grew up to distrust the world. If things were perfect something was usually wrong. The fact that they were fighting and breaking and testing each other’s bend was a sign that they were working. In a very strange and twisted way, they did have their own personal perfect relationship. “I wonder if anyone else has ever been able to connect their powers like that,” pondered the telekinetic. “Do you think it happens with everyone’s power when they find someone to love? Or do you think something’s different with us?” Finally something he could ponder. Not the fate and the connection between them for eternity but the ponderings of the workings of his power and Odion’s.

But thinking back… “You know, it is kind of reassuring that we’re together in the future.” He shrugged. Not in a fate kind of way, but in the sense that they could fight as much as they did and still come out on top. Though, how many times could they really fight and make it out still together. Sometimes things got very tense and very painful. And they both now had the ammunition needed to completely destroy each other. Lani didn’t want that to happen. He hated the fact that they fought at all.

[Odion Martins]

Odion shrugged, though still holding Lani as much as possible. "They wouldn't be worth fighting for otherwise?" He ventured a guess, because honestly he hadn't the slightest clue. Easy relationships would mean that people could be disposable, and really, he wanted to be indispensable. Odion had fought for many things in his life, but never for someone else. His battles were always either against himself, or himself against the world. He had never stuck out his own neck for someone else until recently, even for Jared or Rhett back in Europe. He had stabbed the both of them in the back and Lani only knew about one of those stories. Who was to say he wouldn't repeat those actions? In fact, he essentially had when he had gone behind Lani's back and tried to fix things all by himself. Really he and Lani were exactly the same - now there was a scary thought.

And pretty soon Lani was wondering again. "I don't see why this would be easier, when nothing has been so far," he said with a smirk on his face. Honestly, they had to figure things out for themselves, it really shouldn't shock them that this would be any different. "Honestly though, I haven't heart of anything like this before." Maybe it was just timeless love, but that was a little too hopeful for Odion to place his faith into.

Maybe that was what love was - to have everything of value to that one person in your hands, and the choice is left up to you, to destroy or protect it. Odion had released Lani and was heading back to the school, his hand drawn around Lani's waist for the time being. "Reassuring?" He asked. Lani had no idea, did he? That the one fear Odion had always had was no longer an issue. That the moment he realized he would never be alone meant he didn't have to ever be afraid ever again. Really, where did Lani think all of that courage had come from for Odion? The ginger wouldn't call it reassuring, he would call it a godsend, that was he would if he believed in someone like that.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani just sighed again at the response. It was a weary sound and he knew he loved Odion but he was also so tired of things being so hard all the time. They were warriors in their own right. For all of their fighting they did stand together. What Odion didn’t realize, was that to Lani, he was already indispensable. There were so many secrets between them. Things that they just didn’t talk about or things that were awkward to bring up in conversation. As much as Lani wished their lives could just be like this all of the time. Together and warm and happy. But that wasn’t like and it was as Odion said, not worth fighting for. Something made Odion different, something made him special and Lani couldn’t identify it as anything beyond him being Odion. The redheaded catupine he loved so dearly.

Lani smiled and shook his head. “Just once, just once I want something to be easy,” he complained like a child. Oh dear, now he was whining. That was enough of that. He bit his tongue and looked over at Odion and cocked his head interested by the statement. He wondered if there were any books that might say something about that. It was strange how this had worked. Odion controlled time, and Lani controlled the things that resided in space, or what was represented in their version of space. Space and time were like two endless cycles. Neither could be created or destroyed. Maybe them finding each other had created a rift and now space and time were becoming parallel features. Lani looked up into the sky while he thought and finally blinked and brought himself back to the present. That was a little too heavy, even for Lani.

Returning the gesture Lani loosened his arms and put one around Odion’s shoulders. Lani nodded a little but didn’t elaborate much past repeating, “Reassuring.” That eventually their fighting would cease or at least lessen and they would be happy together. Unless what Odion wasn’t telling him was that they had both been miserable in the future. Lani placed his free hand on his stomach as it rumbled. “Oh I’m hungry, let’s go eat.” Forget serious food for thought Lani’s belly was demanding something of substance.

[Odion Martins]

It was tempting to make a new life. To pretend that he was all good and that nothing could’ve been more normal than a relationship where the bonds were of love – but Odion knew better than that, and, so did Lani. Besides, the relationship may not even be the same should any aspect of the past change, and Odion knew that better than anyone. He knew they would always squabble, but if they were to be together in the future, then something had to be worth sticking around for, worth fighting for.

“Alright,” Odion said, crossing his arms, “pick one thing within my grasp to make easier for you.” There wasn’t a hint of sarcasm, it was merely an offering. Lani could have anything he wanted, if he was brave enough to pick only one thing. Odion was interested to see what Lani had to say to this option, but he was always interested in what Lani had to say, always hanging on to his every word.

Odion smiled to himself. Reassuring he could deal with, even if it meant Lani was also nervous and scared, because he was too. At least they were in this together. The redhead laughed and then sighed, he was content despite the intense training session, and the aftermath of it. “I wonder what the cafeteria special is tonight,” he said, his nose wrinkling already in disgust.

(OOC: Last post for me darlin’!)

[Lani Hunter]

Lani looked off into the sky. Oh how beautiful it looked today. Fully of blue and speckled with spots of white. The future was an uncertain place and the sooner it came the sooner it was gone and they’d get nowhere waiting for it to come. They had to make their own plans. Life was a string that could be woven and twisted, burned and blackened, dyed and smoothed. It could be shaped and it could be done by one’s own hands and it could be done by the people around them. Lani had long accepted that he and Odion were going to bicker, but never had it escalated into a fight so frequently. What were they going to do if they kept fighting each other?

Giving Odion a sideways smile Lani shook his head a little. The things within Odion’s grasp to make easy were not any of the things Lani wouldn’t be able to work out eventually. If Odion hadn’t specified things within his grasp Lani would have had a list of things for Odion. But one thing. That was certainly a hard choice. If he picked something useless when he might as well have thrown away his wish. If it was something hard it might be impossible for Odion to keep this promise. Lani hummed a little and considered his answer probably longer than what was usually socially acceptable. He could say love. But love was never going to be easy. Finally he shrugged. “If I had to pick one thing, I'd spend the rest of my life wondering if I'd made the right choice. I think we could accomplish a lot more if we shared the burden.” They should just keep trying this teamwork thing. It was bound to work eventually.

“Ugh,” Lani uttered in agreement to Odion’s reaction. “Only a few more weeks. Maybe we can root through the kitchen.” Lani thought absently. The cooks seemed to like him well enough and he was always able to sneak in and convince them they wanted to make him something.