New Ink (Open)

[Deleted]

Ever since Xun had turned eighteen, he'd been thinking about getting another tattoo.  He had a couple sprinkled on his body from when his parents had grudgingly given permission for him to get them, but now he could get some on his own without telling... Hehehe.  That's why he was in the tattoo parlor, scanning through their book of designs and examples of what they could produce.  He was impressed with their abilities and enjoyed the style, which was a relief.  Back home in Seattle, he'd had to go to a  couple different shops to find an artist he liked; here, in Pilot Ridge, he had much fewer options.

He wasn't necessarily planning on getting a tattoo today, though, merely browsing.  He communicated awkwardly with the artist, talking about his past experiences and what he was looking for.  At the moment, Xun was thinking about getting a line of Chinese characters down his spine; he just needed to decide what he wanted enough to have it be a permanent part of his body.

After a while, his stomach growled, and he closed the book he'd been looking through.  Xun thanked the artist and started to head out... Only to rush too fast and collide with the door as it opened from the outside as someone entered.  The Chinese boy stumbled back and groaned, clutching his head, which had hit the edge of the door rather hard.  "Ai-ya," he hissed, grimacing.  

Why did this sort of thing always happen to him...?

[Jen Mitchellson]

Jen felt so... empowered! After deciding not to be the easy slut she'd been.. okay, most of her adolescent years, she'd decided, right after being called garbage by one of those many one night stands, that she needed to love herself first. And she was totally alright. Yup! Never been better!

Okay, she wasn't fooling anyone. She was miserable. Fuck Lucas. That'd been his name, right? She wasn't even sure why someone who meant so little was now mattering so much! She shouldn't care for him really. Like at all. About what he felt or what he said or what he could think of her. And yet, here she was, still sulking about it. Fuck men, man. And then that talk with Zach! Seriously, how lame could he be? Being in a relationship! Which was... not so lame after all. Sure, his boyfriend was a hottie (just look at her cell background) and maybe she'd been the tiniest bit jealous of him, but that didn't mean- okay, it totally meant she now wanted the same. Except she didn't even know where to start looking! She so didn't want to become one of those clingy girls who stalked the man they slept with ONCE, nor she wanted to be the stupid girl who wrote some dude's name on her notebooks. So who could she be to find that? No. You know what? Fuck men. She was totally okay with being alone.

In fact- She turned to the tattoo parlour and smiled wickedly at an idea. She should commemorate it by getting one of those tattoos. Yeah, that sounded like an excellent idea and the BEST reason to do something that permanent: her hatred for men. In fact, she was going to tattoo the phrase 'Fuck men' some place unnoticeable just to keep herself from... well, from doing exactly that.

Jen walked right up the shop with that idea in mind, opening the door widely and in one harsh movement, still pissed at what was going through her mind, only to feel it hit something. She blinked in surprise though, when she saw some guy clinging to his head. Oh, so that's what it's been. She snorted, before deciding it wasn't that funny and he could be really hurt.

"I'm so sorry!" She said, hurrying to his side and blinked when she noticed him. Wait, she knew this guy! "I know you!" She said, voicing her thoughts, her face breaking into a smile, "You're- uh-" What was his name again? "That dude who kissed that other dude!" Yeah, something like that.

[Deleted]

Xun was going to have a splitting headache from this, he just knew it. It hadn’t just been him that had walked too fast into the door – whoever had been coming through had opened it so fast and hard! He groaned and mumbled to himself a little more, rubbing the wounded area (which now had a lovely, bright red mark on his forehead). So much for seeming cool in the tattoo parlor (not that he had really seemed that way anyway….).

He blinked and finally focused on the ‘culprit’ as she apologized, and it took him a moment to form a response. “It’s… it’s okay…” he mumbled, even though his head was still throbbing. Talk about a woman he wouldn’t want to get on the bad side of if she could hit someone so har- wait, huh? Xun squinted at her exclamation. She knew him? Wait, she did look familiar, now that he looked closer…

“Ah…. Xun,” he offered, trying to recall her name as well. “Is it… Jen…?” The very bold girl he’d met that one night at that one club where he had been incredibly uncomfortable. He’d made a beeline for the exit as soon as he could, not because he hadn’t liked her per say, but because his introverted nature could only take so much. He blushed profusely when she mentioned his kissing history. “S-shi, ah, well… Yes,” he stammered, not knowing what else to say. Ugh… Why was he always so awkward…?

“U-uh, so… Are you getting a tattoo…?” he asked meekly after a while. He eventually let his hand fall from his forehead, though it still smarted quite a bit. “I, uh… I was just looking at designs, so… I am probably going to go get some boba or something now…” As always, he was hungry. Maybe he should pick up some shrimp chips to… And sushi… Mmmm…

[Jen Mitchellson]

It's okay, he'd said, yet the part he was rubbing was getting really red. Well, shit. "Really, I'm sorry." She repeated, this time meaning it. He was a good guy, or so seemed to be and here she went and ruined his day. Well, what else was new, Jen? She was sure the universe was punishing her for her crappy behaviour. Damned universe. "Here, let me see." She said, moving forward and gently placing her fingers on his cheek, trying to get him to look up. That's when she recognised him.

"Xun, right." She said with a grin. The cute, shy guy from the bar. "Mhm. That's me." He remembered! Hell, she'd slept with men who couldn't remember her name by the time they were finished. Kudos to the kid. He blushed at the mention of the kiss and her eyes widened in surprise. How cute! Just a kiss had him all bothered. She nibbled on her lower lip, smiling around it before speaking again. "You owe me one." She said teasingly, wanting to make him blush again. Well, he DID owe her a kiss.

What? A tattoo? Oh yeah. Jen blinked in surprise as she realised again where she was. Her 'fuck men' tattoo! Still, she sent him a sideways look as she thought about it. "I was thinking about it." she said with a smile, "But I'm changing my mind already." She sent him a wink, despite him not knowing her previous plan. And then he mentioned his plans. "Perfect!" She said with a wide grin. "That's exactly what I need right now. You're SO nice to ask!" He hadn't asked and she was completely aware of it, yet she still moved to grab his arm and pull him, fully intending to go with him. She needed a pick me up, even if it was from the very shy guy. She was pretty sure she wasn't going to get many compliments from him, yet he was still so cute that just seeing him would be a boost to her self esteem.

[Deleted]

Xun appreciated her apologies, but he was really just more embarrassed than anything. He should’ve been looking where he was going. “Thanks,” he replied softly, unsure of what else to say. “Eh?” The Chinese boy flinched slightly under the warm, unfamiliar touch, but he meekly glanced up for a moment and let the girl inspect his injury. “I, ah, I’m sure I’ll be fine, I’ve had worse injuries before…” The old cut on his cheek, for example, which was a lasting mark of when his ability had manifested and he’d accidentally cut his cheek while practicing with his straight sword.

He was glad he’d remembered her name correctly, though. It hadn’t been the longest of meetings, but it’d left an impression on him, for several reasons. Xun would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought back to that night a time or two, wondering what the hell he’d been doing. His smile widened slightly as she confirmed the name, but it faltered slightly at the talking about kisses, and turned into a wide-eyed, nervous gawk as she said he ‘owed her one’. “A-a what?” he stammered, wondering if he had misunderstood. She definitely succeeded in making him blush more; the pale pink had deepened into a darker one, and began to flush down his neck.

“O-oh, I see,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. Xun didn’t know what that wink meant, but he felt like there was some sort of joke behind it that he wasn’t understanding. As usual. “Well… I have a couple already, s-so if it is, um, the pain or anything that you are nervous about, it really isn’t that bad in certain places.” He was just guessing, pretty sure that wasn’t it, but he didn’t know what else it could be. “Eh?” Now he was even more bewildered. He… He hadn’t meant to invite her along, but.. But there was no harm, and maybe she had thought that’s what he had meant to do? “Ah, right, of course,” he finally stammered with an awkward smile. When Jen grabbed his arm, Xun stumbled along afterwards, the dull throbbing in his head momentarily forgotten as he was dragged outside. “Oh, um, do you know where the Bubblebeam Tea Shop is?” he asked once they were out; his hand was warm where hers were touching his, and he wondered if his were that cold… “I-I can show you the way if you don’t,” he offered. Hopefully he would be more comfortable once they started walking.

[Jen Mitchellson]

"Hush, don't play tough, honey. You men are all the same. Can't let a girl- wow, that looks nasty." She winced for effect, just wanting to tease him, as she gently graced the skin on his temple. Her eyes went to the wound to his and she smiled gently. He was far too cute looking, sort of like a doll. He was a clear example of her theory of Pilot Ridge being a hottie magnet. "We can just get you some ice and if that doesn't work out I'll kiss it better." She grinned, "Even if it doesn't get better, at least something good would've come out of it, right?" She was only half teasing of course, since she enjoyed making shy guys squirm.

She held back a snort at his expression after the kiss comment. "Well, you did leave me hanging, honey. I never found out if you like me." Though by the way he'd disappeared, she could easily guess that was a fat, big no. Cute, shy guys never liked her back, point proven with the French guy she met months ago. A pity too, because lately she'd found out she kind of liked shy guys. Well, maybe shy wasn't the word to describe it. It was more like... gentlemen? Ha, who knew she'd have that kind of taste, considering how easy she was.

She chuckled as he guessed she was scared of the pain. Well, tattoos did hurt, didn't they? and she wasn't fan of pain, although- "Hey, a little pain can turn to pleasure if you use it right." She joked playfully, wondering if he was as innocent as to not get what she'd implied. Maybe he was. Ah, leave it to her to be into guys who didn't find her the least bit amusing. She sighed, turning her attention to the designs shown in the store. "It's not the pain, more like what I want to say with it. I mean, I'm sure my dad would kill me if I got one, which is always a plus." She turned to smile at him again, wondering if he knew she'd made a very grim joke. "And you really are making me wonder about what certain places you're talking about." She chuckled again and leaned back, looking at him up and down. "It's going to be fun finding out." She nibbled on her lower lip as she stared at him. He was really cute, and he had a great body. Tall, on the thin side with a doll face. Hell, he was prettier than she was. How was that fair?

When it was time to go to the tea shop she grinned at his question. Of course she knew where it was. She spent more time out in those streets than she did at school. Wow, had that sounded bad in her head. "Oh, trying to take the lead and be all manly." She said with a playful smile, "I like it." She truly did. And his hand felt so cool... Refreshing. she figured as she smiled at him. "Lead the way, bad boy." She shrugged slightly, letting him take the lead. "And you can use the time to tell me about yourself." She added, turning her eyes away from him. "We never got to talking last time we met."

[Deleted]

Xun’s lower lip jutted out in a small pout as she hushed him. “I’m sure it looks worse than it is,” he mumbled, still putting on the tough façade. It did hurt, but he didn’t need to make her feel even worse. “U-uh, okay…” he finally agreed (to the ice, the kiss offer made him blush yet again!). “That, uh… That sounds good…” Only because he didn’t know how to say no. And he would only say no because he was awkward, not because she wasn’t… Pretty, or anything…! Hopefully they would have some ice at the boba tea shop.

“I-I did?” Xun asked with a dumb, stunned expression. He… He hadn’t… Realized that she… Wanted… “Um… I… Ah, duì bu qǐ… I’m sorry…” Did he like her? Xun… Barely knew her, how was he supposed to know? It already took him ages to warm up to anyone – but she wouldn’t know that, he supposed. “I-I just really do not get out much, and… And I wanted to go home…” That sounded like an excuse, didn’t it? Well, it was true, he’d nearly freaked out after being in the crowded club for too long and he’d needed to get out before his power went wonky on him.

Yep, her joke went right over Xun’s innocent head, so he just blinked, mostly confused, at her comment. “Ah… Well, I guess… That could be true…?” he replied, wondering if she meant the pain was worth it in the end if it resulted in a cool tattoo… Or something. He chuckled nervously, definitely feeling like he was missing something. When she clarified her reasoning, Xun nodded in understanding, managing to relax a little (for the moment). “Yes…. I spent a lot of time deciding on my others, and I want to think over the new ones I am getting,” he explained. “My parents were not thrilled, but… They allowed them.” Once again, her suggestive comment was lost on Xun, who just perked up at her curiosity. “I could show them to you sometime,” he offered. They were all definitely in ‘innocent’ places, which was why he offered. Though it would require taking off his shirt, and he realized after a bit that that alone might make Jen even more… Uh….

Anyway! Yes, time for bubble tea. “Well, I…. I am a man…” he replied, meek and, as always, slightly confused, but she said she liked it, so… He supposed it was okay? “I am glad.” Bad boy? Definitely not! ‘Bad’ boys were the ones that had always teased him for his light-colored eyes and quiet nature, and led him to wearing dark contacts all the time… Ah well. “Tell you about myself…?” he repeated. He seemed to do a lot of repeating when he was nervous and uncertain. “Ah, well… I… I like martial arts and shrimp chips,” he offered. Two of his favorite things. The third was pandas, but that wasn’t something he would mention to just anybody. “And uhh… I…. I live at the Hammel Institute…?” It was always possible to run into a fellow meta, but nothing about Jen had so far tipped him off into thinking she was one. But who knew? “What, um… What about you?”

[Jen Mitchellson]

Jen chuckled at his stuttering, almost rolling her eyes at his very obvious excuse. "Relax, honey. I'm just joking." Poor guy. Okay, maybe her question had been far too direct, and it was fine. "You're not the first guy to run away from me. "She said with a smirk, "No harm done." He was so not into her, was he? Oh well, can't win them all. Besides, she was totally taking advantage of the fact that he was too kind to reject her advances, and she could spend the afternoon with a hot guy, even though he didn't seem that interested in spending it with her. Suck it up, Xun. I'm sad and I need this.

Oh, wow. He was so not getting her innuendo and she was SO happy about it, almost snorting out loud as he answered. Ah, sweet, gentle Xun. Poor guy. She sighed. "Could you get any more adorable?" She asked him with a half smile. He talked about his tattoos and this time she huffed. "Yeah, not sure daddy will be as understanding. He already cut my allowance. I have no idea what he'd do if I get a tattoo." Which made it all more fun! Her smile widened. "Unless I get it in a... secret place." That wouldn't hurt that bad, would it? Plus she could get... creative that way. Maybe not a 'Fuck men' tattoo, but something else. Something more meaningful. She still didn't know what though. He offered to show her his tattoos and she smirked, actually a tad disappointed. That had to mean he didn't have any in... obscure places. What a shame. "Maybe later." She said with a smile, not caring much now that she knew they weren't naughty. Too bad, that would've been fun to find out.

He replied he was male and she chuckled, "I've noticed." Not like she'd force a date on a girl. To each their own, but that wasn't her thing. And he was from Hammel. She stopped walking then, eyeing him suspiciously, "You're not like fourteen or something, are you? I swear I had a date with this sixteen year old kid once," She shook her head, "He was taller than my older brother. So?" She turned to him, "You're legal, right?" She wasn't sure he would even understand what she meant by that. Also, curious that his age bothered her more than his powers. What could it be anyway? She was about to ask when he asked her his own question. What about her? She smiled.

"All you need to know is I look pretty by your arm, honey." She said teasingly, but then she scolded herself inwardly. She was doing it again, wasn't she? Keeping people away. She needed to try harder. "What- um..." she was bad at this, "What do you want to know?"

[Deleted]

“O-oh no, I wasn’t running away from you, just the place…!” Xun protested weakly. She wasn’t going to believe him, was she? He didn’t know what else to say to help, though, so he just fumbled into silence, cheeks burning. “I… I do not know why guys would run from you,” he added innocently. It wasn’t like she was… Scary.

If his cheeks could get any darker, they would be right now. “A… Adorable…?” he squeaked, not understanding. All Xun was doing was fumbling over his words and being awkward. Did some people… Find that endearing? Huh… He mulled over this until Jen spoke up again, and he blinked at her, frowning in empathy. “Ahh, I see… Well, I say if it is something you want to do and you have thought it over a lot, then there is no reason why you should not,” he mused. “And yes… You could get it in a ‘secret’ place, like… Your ribcage!” Yup, good one Xun. Although he actually had one there, and people rarely saw it. When she rejected his offer, he shrugged good-naturedly, oblivious to her thoughts. “Okay, that is fine,” he said with a soft smile. He didn’t particularly want to lift his shirt in public anyway.

Xun chuckled awkwardly again. Ugh… He’d done that so much in the last ten minutes. “Eh? No, I just turned eighteen,” he replied, chuckling. “I know I am a bit scrawny, but… I promise I am not lying.” Eighteen… That meant legal, right? He wasn’t sure why Jen cared, but well, now she knew. She didn’t ask about his ability, though, which made him wonder if she wasn’t meta and didn’t realize what the school was.

“E-eh?” he stammered, confused. “Well… I mean… Yes… Ah…. Yes…” She was pretty, there was no denying that, but he hadn’t really been thinking about it a lot. He tended to ignore those sorts of aesthetics until they came up in conversation. Xun cleared his throat and looked away for a moment as they walked, before looking back at Jen. “Ah, well…” He thought for a moment. “What do you do for fun? Um… Where do you go to school, or… Work?” Assuming she did either. “Ah… What’s your favorite food?” Very important! As they walked, his cool, slender hand bumped against Jen’s, and he blushed again.

[Jen Mitchellson]

Jen chuckled. Why would guys run away from her? Well... "I might not look like it, honey, but I'm a biter." She grinned, running her tongue over her teeth, wondering if he'd even get her joke. Cute, sweet, innocent guys like him never got into her humour though. She'd learned that the hard way.

Aw and he blushed! So cute. Jen smiled at the sight, nibbling on her lower lip to keep herself from hurting her face. "Oh come on! Like I'm the first person to tell you that." He HAD to be pretending to be unaware of it, right? Men were beasts after all. He HAD to know exactly what he was doing, playing it like he was.

He spoke of her tattoo and she chuckled at where he suggested she should get her tattoo. "I was thinking on someplace a bit more secret than that" She said with an amused smirk. After all, her ribcage would show every time she wore a swimsuit and she was so sure any of her brothers would make a fit if she ever got something that big. Or her father. She so didn't want to think of her father now.

And Xun was eighteen. "Perfect." She said, "And I kind of like scrawny." She added a wink, "It fits you." It truly did. Xun had the body of a true athlete, tall and lean and looked... fast for some reason, like one of those marathon runners rather than a body builder. She could appreciate it, considering how much she enjoyed running. But he did look thinner than she was. For the first time in her life, she sort of regretted her curvy body. Maybe if she were leaner she would have better time when running. Oh well, she wasn't about to get all fixed on just that. And he was a Hammel student. She sighed, looking away from him, thinking of the last eighteen year old Hammel student she'd met. That jerk hadn't called her again after their night together. Though his ability had come in handy back then. Which reminded her-

"So what can you do?" She asked Xun with a smile, "Come on. If you show me yours I'll show you mine." She winked at him again, obviously meaning to tease him, but once again she expected ignorance on the line.

He agreed and she blinked in surprise. So... he knew she looked good? She hadn't expected that. But come on, maybe he was just nervous, after all, she hadn't received any compliments yet. Not that she expected anything from this guy, nor wanted anything. Nope. Nothing. Zip. Because she was so done doing that- er, doing men. Random men. Men who didn't care for her at all. At least she hoped she was done.

He asked his questions and she nibbled on her lower lip as she thought about it. "Well, I like running." She said, unsure of what to say. "I like video games and comic books." She shrugged, thinking maybe he wouldn't be the kind to judge her over being a geek. "I go to Greenview. Still undecided on the major, though I'm thinking on performance arts." She slightly pushed him with her hips, teasingly, "I'm pretty enough to be an actress, right?" She was so fishing for compliments again. Some habits took a bit more time to break. "As for food..." She shrugged, "I kind of like sweets, but that's not what you mean, right?" What DID she like to eat? She never really thought about it. "Pizza maybe?"

She grinned at him, "I bet food's important to you, isn't it?" She chuckled, "You skinny guys always like to eat. I have no idea how you do it." She turned to him when their hands touched and found him blushing. Had it been because their hands bumped? She nibbled on her lower lip, smiling around it. So cute! She grabbed his hand and squeezed it slightly. "Here." She said, still smiling, "No more bumping."

[Deleted]

A biter? What did that even mean? Poor innocent Xun was really lost with this one. “I… See,” he replied uncertainly. She reminded him a lot of Brooke, now that he thought about it; both girls were quite aggressive in their mannerisms, greatly contrasting the Chinese boy’s. Speaking of Brooke…. “Ah, well…. No, you’re not,” he admitted sheepishly. He was fairly certain Brooke had called him something similar at least… Several times. But it wasn’t like he was acting! “I just… I do not get it…”

“Oh,” he said dumbly, now uncertain what she meant by ‘secret’. He wondered… Did she mean like… “You mean like, your butt?” Xun asked innocently, his expression still child-like and naïve. That had to be pretty secret, right?

He grinned sheepishly at her compliments. “Ah, thanks,” he said shyly, scuffing a shoe against the ground. That was what he was supposed to say, right? Xun looked at Jen, studied her for a bit, wondering if he should say something in return. What was a good thing to say to a girl that wasn’t weird? “You, ah… Your body suits you too,” he fumbled. Good job, Xun, A+ compliment right there. He was oblivious to what was on her mind, though; he was just trying to be nice.

“Hm?” he blinked, not understanding what she meant at first. “Oh, ah, my ability?” Xun hoped that’s what she meant, because otherwise he was completely lost. “Ah, well… I can move very fast, but only after I have… Built up energy from friction throughout the day,” he explained, thinking back to how his trainer explained it. His muscles were beginning to get a little tense, a sign that he’d need to release the energy in a while if he didn’t want to risk them seizing up and getting painful. “I can, ahh… I can show you when we’re somewhere not so crowded?” he suggested, looking around at people milling by. He didn’t want to accidentally crash into anyone.

Xun listened quietly as Jen explained what she liked to do, curious about her answers. “Comics are fun!” he agreed, although he read more manga than Marvel. “And I like some video games.” He wasn’t a huge geek or anything, but he had his interests. He nodded when she mentioned where she went to school and what she was studying. “Ahhh… I see,” he hummed, before stumbling slightly and blinking as she bumped him. “Eh? Of course!” he assured her. Didn’t she realize she was pretty? Even Xun could tell, and he was a dumby when it came to that. Then she was talking about food, and he tilted his head. “Pizza is good too,” he said. “Do you like shrimp chips?” If she’d never had them, he was determined to get some.

He grinned sheepishly at the question, and nodded as they turned the corner onto the street with the tea shop. “I eat a lot, but part of it has to do with my ability,” he explained. Super high metabolism and all. “I get sleepy and cranky if I don’t.” He was about to point out that they were almost to the shop when Jen took advantage of his unintentional movement and took his hand. Xun’s blush deepened, and he looked down, wondering what this meant. “Ah… Right,” he agreed in a meek voice. Were people going to think they were a couple like this? Did it matter? Xun struggled to figure out what to do, but eventually just left it, even as they walked into the shop. Her hand was really smooth and warm… “What would you like to get?” he asked, tilting his head towards her.

[Jen Mitchellson]

He didn't get how cute he was? Jen snorted. "Wait- you're serious?" He was, wasn't he? "Oh, that just makes you even cuter." Nothing worse than a hot guy who knew how hot he was. This guy though? Aw! He was like a puppy with big eyes, tilting his head in confusion. So adorable!

Jen laughed loudly at the mere mention of 'butt'. "Yes, Xun. Exactly like my butt." She said, although she was teasing him. He was like a little kid, all innocent about the world. Which was weird for an eighteen year old. He so needed some... training about the real world. She chuckled. Too bad she wasn't doing that anymore, he seemed like someone fun to be with.

And wasn't that just precious? The way he got all shy about her compliment, the way he reacted. He was like a little boy indeed and it made Jen feel somewhat protective of him, even though she just met him. And his compliment made her laugh again. Oh boy, he had much to learn. "Thank you, honey." She said with a wide smile. "And you still haven't seen the best bits." Another joke he was going to miss, wasn't it?

When he started talking about his ability, she rose an eyebrow, wondering if he even knew what he was saying. Super speed, eh? That was kind of hot. Bursts of energy sounded just like a blast, particularly in bed. "You get energy... from friction." She bit on her lower lip to hold back a grin. Oh come on! Maybe she was a tad dirty minded but he was laying them down for her! "And you build it up during the day. So you have to... uh- get a release at night." Yup, he had to be messing with her. The next sentence made it clear. "I-ah. Uh." She'd promised herself she wasn't going to go down this path again, She'd repeated it over and over and yet- "Okay." She ended up saying. Well, knowing the kid, he probably meant JUST showing her his powers. She got too distracted by that, that she didn't bother to show him her powers on her own.

Oh, he liked comic books and video games? Well, colour her impressed. Jen smiled at him, this time honestly instead of amused. "So what do YOU do for fun?" She wondered, "Apart from getting tats like a bad boy." He so wasn't a bad boy, which sort of made the name more amusing to her.

Wait, shrimp chips? "What are those?" She wondered. They sounded pretty gross. Were they like... crispy shrimp or maybe potato chips with shrimp flavour? Either way they didn't sound appealing.

Oh, so he had a fast metabolism because of his powers. "The fact that you're a guy shows how unfair the whole universe is." She said, thinking only a girl would find having a fast metabolism useful. "No wonder you're so fit." No that she was looking. Okay! She was! Sue her! The guy seemed to be pure bone and muscle.

They reached the store and she grinned at him. "Peach." She said with a wink, "I'll go grab a table for us. Just going to need my hand for it." She added the last bit nodding down at their joined hands, stretching her fingers out to let go of his hand. Not that she wanted to. Holding hands, she figured, was much nicer than what she first thought. Matt had taught her that at least. "Don't take long." She added, turning to go find a seat.

[Deleted]

Oh… She did mean butts. Xun wasn’t sure what to think, or say. Finally, he slowly commented,”Well…. I guess that is pretty secret.” It wasn’t like he’d be seeing it if she got one there! And probably no one else either. Right? He was still fumbling over this when she thanked him for his compliment, and he nodded meekly, still flustered, and became even more so at the last comment. “But… I’ve seen your face, and your face is pretty, what else could be prettier?” he asked innocently. Always naïve.

“Yup…. That’s what it is,” he confirmed as she responded to his description of his ability. Of course, what she was thinking was not even close to being on Xun’s mind, so he smiled obliviously over at her as she continued talking. “Yeah… Usually by practicing in the training rooms or something. It’s easiest to get it out when I’m alone and won’t bother anyone else.” He tilted his head, and sighed a little. “…. They told me I might not live as long as most people because the energy release wears my body down faster. It is… A blessing and a curse, I guess.” Mostly the latter, because he wasn’t a huge fan of his ability to begin with. Xun shook his head and smiled over at Jen again, trying to brush off what he’d just said. “Okay! We can find somewhere to do it, then.” That was the one good thing about his ability, he supposed – it was good for showing off.

What else did he do for fun? He was going to answer when she called him a bad boy, which resulted in more blushing and awkward laughing. “I… I am not a bad boy,” he assured her. “But, um…. Mostly just train my martial arts, really. And eat. And um… I like logic puzzles, and that sort of thing. Ah, math is sort of my… Thing.” Most people wouldn’t consider that “fun”, but Xun was good enough at it that he enjoyed it.

As for shrimp chips… “They, ah… They’re…. Shrimp-flavored… Chips…” Xun explained dumbly. Then he laughed. “I get them at the Asian market. They taste better than they sound.” He might be slightly addicted to them. “We can get some if you want!” The market wasn’t too far away from here…

“How is it unfair?” he asked curiously. “It just means I am extremely thin and have to eat constantly…” And that could be annoying! And expensive! Xun didn’t understand the girl mind. And besides, he thought Jen looked great with all her curves. Not that, er, he’d think that actively, or say it out loud… That would be awkward.

“Peach… Okay!” Xun could order for both of them, and that would give him a little bit of time to… Cool down, and stuff. “Ah, right…!” He awkwardly let go of her hand, only now realizing he’d been squeezing it slightly. “Quick is my middle name,” Xun assured, using just a little bit of his ability to dart over to the counter and wait his turn. When it was, he ordered a peach tea for Jen and a honeydew one for himself. That done, he wandered back to the table that Jen had found and took a seat, sending a shy smile her way before looking down at the table and fidgeting with his shirt. “It shouldn’t take long,” he assured her. But in the meantime… What should they talk about…? Xun wracked his brain for a good topic, but he was coming up blank, and he felt his cheeks grow warm again as the awkward silence lingered. Hopefully Jen would be better at this than he was (she had to be).

[Jen Mitchellson]

She couldn't hold back a snort at his reply. "There are places that are a bigger secret, Xun." She said with a playful smile, "Just use your imagination." And then, as an after thought, she added, "Once I get my secret tattoo I'll show it to you." She sent him a wink, hoping to make him blush. Innocent guys were the best. He called her pretty and that made her stop, turning to him in surprise. "You think I'm pretty?" She asked with a small smile. For some reason that'd really gotten to her. He truly was a child, giving out the same compliments as one. "Also, you've never seen a girl's... pretty bits?" She wondered with a sly smile. "I have so much to show you." She bumped him with her hips playfully, wondering if he knew she was just teasing. Even if he didn't it was all fun for her.

Oh come ON! He was playing her, right? Yes. It had to be! His innocence was all an act. He took care of it alone. Oh, yeah, she bet. "Maybe I can help out then." She said with a smirk, "Give an... extra hand." He agreed. Her eyes widened in surprise and she nibbled on her lower lip as he said they should find place to do it. Oh come on! She laughed and leaned closer, playfully grabbing his arm, "I didn't know you were this forward." She said between chuckles, "And from a guy who ran away from me when I wanted to kiss him." The reminded made her turn her gaze to his lips. Pouty... so cute. "The offer still stands, Bad boy."

He insisted he wasn't a bad boy and she shook her head. "You are a bad boy, Xun." She explained, "Every guy has a bad boy deep inside just waiting for the right person to peel him out." She sent him a wink, "I'll have fun bringing him out." She squeezed his hand, as if sealing a future promise. It wasn't like she was all that serious about it, was it? But even she couldn't deny the boy was handsome. So he explained his hobbies. Martial Arts, math, logic. It made her chuckle again. "You're just a walking stereotype, aren't you?" She teased, again squeezing his hand. A pretty nerdy boy. Oh, she'd never had one of those before. The idea of something new excited her and she figured she could at least make out with him. It was so hard to behave, just so she wouldn't scare him away, as if he was a little puppy just smelling her hand and getting familiar with her.

She nodded at the shrimp fries. She'd try anything new. "We should." She said with a smile, finding it cute how he found so much excitement in food. And then got all dignified about his metabolism. She smiled again. "I'd love to be thin and eat constantly." She said, "Even if it shortened my life." Who wanted a long life anyway? Short and fun, that's all she wanted. "I train and still can't lose the booty, you know. So annoying."

He was ordering her tea and she smiled at him when he returned to her. "I thought your middle name was quick." She teased, leaning over the table. He seemed to be feeling awkward and she chuckled again, smiling widely afterwards. Cute... "Am I making you nervous, Xun?" She wondered, moving to grab his hand again, caressing the skin slightly. "You don't have to be. I already like you." Her smile widened and she bit on her lower lip, trying to hold back the wide predatory grin she was sure she would have. It was so much fun to make him nervous. It reassured her slightly, particularly after her history with men. She stretched a foot out and caressed his ankle with it. Whether he noticed or not didn't matter, because she was acting as if nothing.

"What kind of martial arts do you train in?" She wondered, thinking maybe a familiar subject would keep him in his comfort zone enough to relax. That was how a girl had to deal with shy guys. Besides, she was kind of interested. "If someone tough and mean comes, would you protect me?" She added, just to keep on flirting. It was kind of a turn on to think he could do that.

[Deleted]

Bigger secret…? What could Jen be talking about…? Xun thought about this for a while, saying nothing, but the pink blush that spread across his cheeks and down his neck gave away his realization of what she meant. “Oh,” was all he said. He wasn’t going to ask for confirmation of what he was thinking – that was too… too…. Eep! “Wh-wha, you will?” he stammered. She’d show him her butt tattoo? Was that… Did people normally do that? “Okay…” he squeaked. He’d never seen a girl’s butt before… Xun nodded mutely at the question, still thinking about secret parts and stuff. “Uh…. I mean… I guess… I haven’t….?” he replied. She must mean a naked girl, right? What else could she mean? And now she was saying… “O-o-okay,” he stammered again. “I l-look… Forward to it…?” Ai-ya, he hadn’t meant to say that!! Now he felt like a perv!

His innocence definitely wasn’t an act, but he didn’t realize just how unusual he was acting that Jen might think it was. “Ah… Maybe,” he said slowly. Xun wasn’t sure how Jen could help him with his ability (and obviously wasn’t thinking what she was). She could, like… Help him work out… Somehow…? Hmm… “Eh??” he exclaimed, eyes widening. “Forward? Do you not want to see it? You don’t have to…!” Totally lost, like always. He wasn’t sure what the kissing thing had to do with it either… “I didn’t mean to run away…” he said forlornly. “I just got nervous…” Girls were a lot more intimidating than boys! Somehow it had seemed easy to kiss Nao, but Jen was like… Like… Something else entirely, and not just because Xun didn’t know her as well.

“I’m really not…” he insisted. “Unless bad means awkward…” In which case, he totally was. Xun rubbed his arm uncomfortably when Jen said he’d bring out his inner…. Bad boy… “Good luck,” he said meekly. He had no idea what she meant by that, but he was a little intimidated. Like she was gonna… Tear him open with her nails and drag some rebel out. Heh… “Uh…. Yeah… I guess I am…” he chuckled when she called him a stereotype. That wasn’t a bad thing, right? She didn’t think he was too weird or anything? Xun couldn’t help liking what he did!

At least she agreed to eating. Eating was good! Xun smiled again, glad the subject was on something he was comfortable with. “Eh?” he blinked, looking over at Jen with a confused look. “But… But you are… Ah…” Cue more blushing. “You, ah… You’re very… W-woman…ly….” And that wasn’t a bad thing at all; even Xun, in his obliviousness, could see the aesthetic appeal. “I think, ahh… It looks…. G-good…” He cleared his throat and looked away again. His face was going to be constantly hot around her, wasn’t it?

His fingers began tapping nervously on the table in a very rapid rhythm, his ability making them look like just a blur. “Uh…” Should he tell the truth? Xun managed a small smile. “… Sort of…” he admitted sheepishly. “I… I don’t talk to girls very often…” He flinched in surprise as she took his hand again, staring at her incredulously at the announcement. “You d-do?” he squeaked. Why? Why would someone so…. So like her… Like someone like him? He didn’t know what to say. “… I like you too…” he finally mumbled, but it was almost a question, like he wasn’t sure it was okay for him to say it. The foot on his ankle shot a strange tingle up his leg and settled in his stomach, and Xun was suddenly very, very happy he was sitting down. Although his expression might have given his… ahem… emotions away.

“W-wushu,” he told her, glad for the distraction of something he was knowledgeable in. “It’s Chinese… Like kung fu. If you’ve seen Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee movies, they do wushu,” he informed her. They were two of his idols. When Jen asked if he could protect her, Xun smiled wider. “I could, and would,” he assured her. “I don’t like fighting, but… I am capable if I have to.” And with his speed on his side, only someone like Nao or with a similar ability could really keep up with him. “…. You don’t have someone bothering you, do you?” he asked, suddenly serious. He hoped she had just been asking for fun, but… If Jen had someone harassing her, Xun realized he wanted to know.