Familiar souls (AJ)

[Travis Morgan]

Travis laid on the grass, staring up at the sky. Trying not to think. He always seemed to be thinking. He just wanted to watch the clouds. Thinking was becoming a tiring hobby. He had too much stuff to work through. Sometimes he just needed a break. Now if only he could convince his brain to agree to that decision. Man, he needed to smoke some weed. It made this sort of endeavor so much easier.

Travis sat up with a short sigh. He just wanted to be comfortable again. Hammel still didn't feel like home, and he was sick of feeling on edge all the time. He wished he could just decide to stop feeling homesick, but if that was possible he hadn't figured out how.

He sat still with his thoughts for a while before he felt something familiar. Travis glanced around. There was a tingle in the back of his mind, like someone familiar was near. He twisted around to look over his shoulder.

AJ. He hadn't seen her since his first night here. Travis smiled to himself. He liked that girl, she was lovely. He should say hello. Well.. maybe she doesn't want to talk to me. Are you insane? Don't be stupid, she likes you just fine. God, but it'll be awkward. Dude, you're being awkward right now! Waffling over whether to talk to people is awkward. Actually talking to them is what normal people do. Travis bit his lip. Oh god, are you really doing this? Just go over and say 'hi, how are you'.

[Amanda Joy "AJ" Lane]

AJ was walking cautiously through the courtyard, bookbag slung over her shoulder and a thick book in her hands. She was still trying to finish reading Jane Eyre and found it difficult because the courtyard was her favorite reading spot and now she was paranoid of coming across Oriel there. She didn't want to be reminded of the memory of what had happened even though now she was. He'd threatened her and pulled her hair and she almost thought he wasn't going to let her go. Luckily he had and she'd ran off without a second thought.

She'd amplified his anger and now she was afraid of coming across him again, not wanting to know how much he hated her for doing so.

She was fretting about where to settle down when her eyes panned across the courtyard to find a familiar face. She lifted a hand and waved, smiling lightly at Travis. It was nice to see a friendly face. She began her way towards him. "It's been a while...how are you adjusting?" she asked.

[Travis Morgan]

"Slowly," he answered, smiling, "but I think I'm okay." He was quietly relieved that AJ had spotted him and decided to come over. He was grateful for having met her on his first day here, and he would be beyond disappointed in himself if they didn't manage to stay friends because he was so freaking awkward. He received her warmly, with a kind smile that reached his eyes.

He patted the grass next to him, inviting her to sit down. He took in her presence for a moment, then tilted his head to the side. "How are you?" he asked, concerned. She felt sort of tense. If she tried to give him an answer like 'oh, I'm fine', Travis would give her the look. The knowing empath look. The, 'really you can't get away with that with me' look.

[Amanda Joy "AJ" Lane]

Slowly.

It made sense. AJ was still adjusting. And even then she didn't want to. She smiled gently at him, still relieved to see him and glad that he seemed pleased to see her. She knew her presence was often unwanted and it was nice to...be wanted once in a while. How did I seem to forget that I have a friend?

In all the chaos, it had happened. The only thing on her mind had been her run in with the guy from the courtyard, whose name she still didn't know. He knew hers and he hated her. She swore she cold still feel the tugging of her hair, as if her scalp hurt, but she knew it had to be all in her head.

"I'm glad you're alright, because the night we met was chaotic to say the least," she said as she accepted his invitation and sat down in the grass beside him, pulling her legs up to her chest and resting her chin on them. She should have known what he was going to ask now. He was an Empath! "Guess I can't keep anything from you," she told him, but maybe it would be good for her...to share things with someone. "I just...I manipulated somebody...a few days ago. Here, in the courtyard." Her eyes rested on the very same tree across the way.

[Travis Morgan]

"Oh my god, what happened?" Travis wrapped his arm around AJ and pulled her close. "Are you okay?" He pulled back slightly to look at her. She didn't look banged up.. a little traumatized, maybe.

He'd never seen her power in action, but he could imagine what it might be like. Heightened emotions could be dangerous, and not just the negative ones. Too much feel-good could make people do stupid things as well.

Travis searched her face, and actually tried to take in her emotions. He was worried about her. She seemed like she might just crack at any second. The last time he saw her, she'd been sad, and upset, but this was different. Like she was fraying at the edges.

[Amanda Joy "AJ" Lane]

AJ normally really hated telling people things, like extremely loathed it, but Travis was different for some reason. Maybe it's was because he was an empath or just because he was a gentle soul...someone she knew she could talk to. She felt his arms wrap around her and pull her close and it was just like the first time he hugged her in the common room. It was genuine and nice to just have the human interaction.

When he pulled away to look at her, she looked down, not wanting him to see all the emotions playing out in her eyes, although it didn't matter because he already knew how she was feeling. It was just a natural reaction.

What happened?

"I manipulated anger...and I panicked. I couldn't find another emotion in this guy...I tried...I just...I can usually just latch onto the tiniest thread of any other emotion or quality to manipulate, but I can't really control my power too well and I was stupid...he threatened me, called me names and I stood there like an idiot." Like a pathetic, little girl. "I finally ran off before something much worse could happen...before he really hurt me."

She looked up, tears in her eyes.

[Travis Morgan]

"Hey," Travis cooed when he saw her tears, "you're okay, and that's what matters." He could feel her fear, and her disappointment in herself. It was different than last time though. He wasn't experiencing her the same way. He could feel her emotions, but he could also feel his own. Compassion. Concern. Love. He just wanted to wrap her up and hide her away for a while. Let her rest, and feel safe.

"Come here," he murmured, pulling her close again. He rested his hand on the back of her head and gently petted her hair with his fingers. "You're not stupid," he reassured her, "this is just new, and you were scared. There's nothing wrong with that."

He planted a soft kiss on the top of her head, wondering absently if he felt closer to her than she felt to him. It was really hard to tell when he felt like he knew her so well. Normally he just went with the vibe of the situation, but the vibe was deeper since he manifested. He could feel much deeper than the surface, and it was a little confusing. Were they close enough for him to be kissing her head? Was that creepy? God, he really hoped he wasn't being creepy right now.

[Amanda Joy "AJ" Lane]

Yes, she was okay. Physically she was okay. But mentally and emotionally she was covered in deep scars. But Travis was actually right, she was still there, she was okay. When he pulled her in for another hug, she dug her face into his shoulder, knowing that she was wetting the fabric of his shirt with tears.

This is just new. You were scared.

She was so scared and her power was still fairly new to her, but then again, she felt she should be able to control it somewhat. Part of her felt like she could, but there was something keeping her from doing so. Maybe she was just too damn scared to try.

Still, she let herself fall into Travis. She needed the comfort and there was nobody else she could talk to right now. She had a few other acquaintances, but she tried to stay away from people because of what happened with Oriel. Besides, Travis was different. They understood each other and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't hide from him. "I'm so scared of what I can do," she sobbed into his shoulder, feeling his lips plant a kiss on her hair.

It was a sweet gesture, one that would normally send AJ running. Intimacy was something she had a hard time with, since Oliver...back in Sophomore year at her regular high school, but with Travis, things just seemed too simple and she wasn't afraid she would manipulate him, for some reason she wasn't.

OOC: man, that last sentence is horrible. because it's going to happen later. Dx

[Travis Morgan]

"I know, and I'm sorry," Travis said. He knew it wasn't his fault. He wished there were a different word. A word for "I feel bad that this is happening to you", instead of just "sorry" which implied some kind of fault.

He was trying to think of something that would help her. It seemed that she always used her power accidentally, and had no control of when it happened. Maybe, if she used it on purpose, she would figure out what made it happen in the first place. Maybe she would recognize what it felt like when she used it, and be more able to control it.

Of course, she would have to find someone willing to let her manipulate them with pheromones. Someone who thought they could handle it. A small voice in the back of his head told him that he might be able to handle it, because of the empathy. He felt other people's feelings so strongly that they usually outweighed his own. Which could prove beneficial in a situation like that. But he didn't bring it up. He wasn't sure he really wanted to volunteer himself for something like that, and he wasn't really sure that it would work the way he thought.

"Hey, look at me," he said, touching her face lightly with his fingertips and guiding her chin up. "You are stronger than this. Don't let it consume you. I know it's really tempting to let this define you, but it doesn't. You are more than your power. Your power is just one part of who you are."

Travis should listen more to the advice he gave other people. He was, himself, beginning to feel defined by his power. Empathy made everything confusing. Made him loose his sense of self. It was times like this, though, when he really felt like himself. Times when he was needed. When he could help another person. When he could feel their anguish, and still experience compassion instead of spiraling down with them.

[Amanda Joy "AJ" Lane]

When Travis tilted her chin up, tears were still trickling down the sides of her face and into her brown curls. She nodded at him as he spoke. I am more than my power. My power doesn't define me. She knew that Travis was right, but that's not how other people would see it. Other people would see her as a slut, a bitch, someone who used others. She'd been called both of those names. She just wished her power didn't seem to overshadow everything else about her.

But she had to admit, Travis was definitely good at comforting her. "What happened?" she asked and then realized she'd need to explain herself. "I mean...that first day I met you, my emotions just made things worse for you...but now, I'm a mess and you're just handling me like a champ." She wiped a stray tear away. She appreciated his presence all too much.

[Travis Morgan]

"I am, huh." Travis thought for a moment. "I think it's because I know you. I mean.. The day we met was really intense. I sort of.." Travis chewed his lip and looked vaguely frustrated for a second.

"Ok, so," he repositioned, pulling back and settling into a cross-legged position. "This might sound.. A little freaky, but I sort of.. fell into you that last time." Travis scratched his head. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me. "It's like.. I don't actually know anything about you, but I feel like I know you. I know what.. you feel like now." He furrowed his brow, and his mouth twisted to the side. "Damn, this is really hard to describe. Um.. oh! Today, I felt you before I saw you. It's like, now I can tell which feelings are yours and which are mine.. also, I'm not a complete mess today. That helps too."

[Amanda Joy "AJ" Lane]

He seemed so calm, and AJ envied him in this moment for that reason, but she was also glad that her friend was managing alright. At least somebody was. She nodded in agreement at what he said. The day they met had been intense. It was full of a rush of feelings and panic and they'd both freaked each other out. She hadn't thought that empathy and pheromone manipulation would mix, but Travis was one of the best people she'd met.

She looked at him, waiting for him to explain what he meant. He sort of...what? She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them, listening to him explain. I sort of...fell into you that last time. As soon as he'd said it, AJ figured it was something special about empaths and what they could do. She didn't really understand it, because she couldn't experience it. "So...it's like you know me...emotionally? And through that, you're like...connected to me?" she asked, trying to understand and help him explain.

"So you felt that I was here...almost like you recognized my emotional coding?" That was a dorky way of putting it, wasn't it? Oh well. That's how she would explain it.

[Travis Morgan]

"Yeah, sort of like that!" Travis was a huge dork too, so her translation was well received. But then he lowered his head and looked up at AJ. "You don't think that's creepy, right? I realize it's sort of an unearned level of closeness.." He didn't want her to be freaked out by him. She was the one he met first, and she meant a lot to him already.

Maybe I'm being childish. This is only the second time we've spoken. People don't get all clingy with almost-strangers. I know her, but she doesn't know me. It's not the same on her end. Try not to get so attached, dammit!

Of course, Travis was bad at not getting attached. He was a sentimental person. Everything had meaning to him. People. Books. Notes. Found objects. He even had a year old Hershey's kiss that Michael drew a heart on the bottom of. It was silly, but his room was cluttered with little memories of home that he just couldn't let go of.

[Amanda Joy "AJ" Lane]

"No...it's not creepy. Honestly, it's kind of nice for someone to know me so well...already. I'm not the best at opening up to people anymore and I don't have to because you....you can see into me, you know?" AJ rambled, trying to explain how she felt about it to reassure Travis. "I need somebody like you around." She smiled lightly, a tired half-smile.

She knew Travis was probably kicking himself for saying something, but she found that having someone like him around made her realize that it was okay to open up. She really didn't have a choice with Travis anyway.

[Travis Morgan]

Travis smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "Oh good," he breathed. "Because I really like you. I think you're wonderful." He looked at her for a moment, then laid down on the grass next to her.

He knew she was still feeling down, and he wanted to do something to make her feel better. If he wasn't afraid of going into town, he'd offer to buy her ice cream or something. Instead, he stretched his arm out to the side, making a place for her to lie with her head on his shoulder if she wanted to.

To make his intention slightly less subtle, he directed his eyes to the sky and said, "clouds are pretty." He looked back at her with a smile, hoping to catch her eye. At which point he would make a little motion with his head, inviting her to lay with him.

Perhaps, Travis could be a little too subtle sometimes. He forgot that he and Michael had known each other for a long time before non-verbal communication became a seamless experience. It was just that the closeness he felt with AJ was on par with closeness that usually took years to achieve. It was hard to remember that they didn't know each other's quirks and body language yet.