Theo had intended to head back to his room in the frat house ages ago, but he’d gotten cozy in the commons, with the smell of chicken nuggets coming from the co-op at one end and the smell of a roasting fire at the other. It had been easy to get lost in all of his new AuraTube channel comments and lose track of the time, and when he looked up, it was already after ten, the food had shut down for the night, and it seemed like there was only one other person even still hanging around. Theo waved to Ava Tremaine as he packed up his stuff and got ready to head back home, only to reach the door and realize that there were inches upon inches of snow falling. As much as he loved the idea of filming himself falling on his ass in the snow, he didn’t have a cameraman, and if he wasn’t doing it for his channel, what was the point? Instead, he turned back to settle in in the commons for the night, glad he’d at least gotten trapped somewhere with couches, and plopped down next to Ava with a groan. “What do you think are the odds they’d deliver us a pizza in this weather?” he asked her, rubbing his stomach dramatically to let her know that he’d forgotten to eat for a few hours, too.
Jackie sighed contently as she moved to sit against the wall, another great class in the books. It was always so nice to be able to teach a variety of classes. But one of the best perks were the people she got to meet in her adult classes. One of those people being Ava. “So how was it did you have fun?” A bright smile on her face as she asked. Patting the spot next to her encouraging her to sit and relax. “I feel like it is so nice to be surrounded by so much support and excitement. It is an environment I’ve always had in classes, I’m just glad that I can be the teacher who provides it.” She rambled before sighing and leaning her head against the wall.
The thing about Ava was that, she painfully reminded Max how he was like before his whole life turned upside down. It felt odd to talk to someone who wasn’t corrupted – someone who still thinks that there was still hope in humanity and the world. Max had abandoned that a long time ago but Ava brought back the nostalgia of being bright-eyed and hopeful. Hearing her talk about her future and school made Max missed his university days – those moments where he was truly free with no one telling him what he can or cannot do. Despite the stress of assignments and exams, Max enjoyed himself thoroughly.
The moment Ava gave him the green light to bring her out and let loose (which literally means get pissed drunk and have fun) before she starts the semester in her new university, Max had the perfect place picked out. Well, why not bring her to his favourite haunt right? It was no surprise he picked The Sapphire and plus, he should expose her to the night scene there. Even though she seemed to be wise, Ava still struck him as someone wet behind her ears in this sort of social contexts. They agreed to meet at the club itself, it will eliminate all the hassle of travelling from one point to another. At the sight of the her wild hair, Max couldn’t help but feel a wide grin tugging onto his lips. “Hey you!” he called out, beckoning her to come closer. “Excited for tonight?” he winked, unable to quell his excitement.
Tim was looking forward to tonight. He hadn't really gone "out" in a while, so this was going to be a fine change of pace. He decided to wear something casual, yet something that could be worn to a club. So it wasn't too casual, but not too formal or fancy either. So far, Monaco had been amazing. He had met many cool people, plus Brie was there with him now, so he was definitely looking forward to spending more time with her as well. He checked his watch as he fixed his polo. It was almost 8, so that meant he could head down to the lobby and still make it on time.
He made sure he had his keys and phone and wallet with him before walking to the elevator. Tim fixed his watch, stepping aside every now and then when someone wanted to get in or out of the elevator, smiling and nodding to those who would acknowledge him. He walked out of the elevator, to the lobby, looking around for that familiar face.
Jess moaned slightly at Ava's touch. This wasn't the first time they had gotten together, being roommates and lifelong friends the two girls had always messed around, but never talked about being a "thing". Now they were drinking at a party and fooling around in a bedroom at someone's house, but Jess didn't care, this was fun and Jess liked it. The blonde dug her nails into the other girl's back, giggling slightly at the kisses being places on her own neck.
What: Ava and Sebastian meet to discuss many things
When: Monday, 6 May, Post Hunter-Ava fight
Where: Training Clearing in the woods
Notes:
Sebastian was strongly wishing he'd taken some of his anti-anxiety medication. His heart was pounding at a thousand miles per hour, and he felt honestly sick to the stomach. Two days had passed since he'd seen Ava last and... Fuck. Sebastian had never been nervous in his life, and yet here he was, feeling like a fucking schoolboy and riddled with nerves at the idea of seeing her.
He made his way quickly into the clearing they'd met for training last week, hands clenched in his pockets. He didn't know what he wanted to say to her, he just... had to see her. And given how things had been with her and Hunter, he strongly suspected she needed someone to talk to as well.
Sebastian slowly walked the darkening halls of the girls dorms. The lights hadn't sprung on yet, so there were shadows everywhere. From behind the doors, he could hear different types of music, sounds of laughter, some girls clearly getting ready for a night on the town. He glanced at the numbers beside the doors, checked his hand to confirm against the number he had written there. He wasn't exactly sure why he was doing this. Yes, Hunter had asked him to watch his sister that night, but he didn't think Hunter had meant actually hanging out with her. But since their little training session that week, he'd started to realise he didn't mind her company at all. In fact... he was almost using this as an excuse to hang out with the pretty, silent girl. He fiddled with the USB in his pocket; he'd downloaded several movies, because he really had no clue what she might want to watch. He was dressed comfortably, but true to Sebastian form, also nicely, in his usual tight jeans and a Ralph Lauren jersey of blue and red. His hair had decided to behave that evening, allowing itself to by held by the wax he'd finger combed through it. He knocked on the door after checking the number on his hand again.
Ava had been a little nervous about the decision once the alcohol had worn off the other day, the day she first insisted she and Sebastian go clubbing tonight. Considering the idea sober had made her hesitant, but seeing she'd already picked up a dress from Alana for the occasion, what was the point in turning back now? Ava wasn't going to waste the perfect opportunity to finally let loose sitting in her dorm watching Disney movies, however relaxing it sounded. By the time she heard the knocks, she was already dressed in a short dark blue dress (http://www4.images.coolspotters.com/photos/591714/emily-browning-and-azzaro-justine-embellished-mesh-and-silk-dress-gallery.jpg) and black heels, her face caked with light makeup and her hair styled in a neat pixie cut. She opened the door, flashing a smile at Sebastian before turning around and heading back into the bathroom to check herself in the mirror.
Sebastian frowned as the door open and he was met with the sight of Ava decidedly not in clothing to hang around the dorm in. "Well that doesn't look the most comfortable for a Friday night in," he said pointedly, not bothering with pleasantries. It wasn't in his nature to do small talk. She sure looked lovely and the dress was... short, and... He swallowed. She just didn't look like she was going to be sitting on the floor with him, watching movies. Maybe she'd just come back from classes
Ava quickly finished touching up in the mirror, grabbing a handbag in which she'd also borrowed from Alana before returning to the main room. She quickly looked Sebastian over, deciding that even though his attire was casual, it was acceptable. In fact, he looked rather handsome for a night in. What a waste it would have been if Ava hadn't decided what they'd be doing tonight. Neglecting to explain, she grabbed her notebook and began to leave the room, signaling for Sebastian to come with her casually.
Sebastian stood there, blinking for several moment as Ava did... whatever girls did when they touched their faces to put make up on. Suddenly, she was grabbing things and... leaving the room. "Wait, what the hell are you doing?" He asked, following after her. Shit, she was fast for someone so tiny. "Where do you think you're going, missy?"
Ava smirked, amused at Sebastian's reaction. She opend up her handbad and pulled out a piece of paper. It was an advertisment for a club in the nearby mutant territory she'd discovered online, called Kismet. She held it out to Sebastian, letting him take it just before she sped up a bit, keeping her pace so he could follow her without catching up and stopping her.
Sebastian stared down at the piece of paper Ava handed to him. He looked back up, down, up, down. Wait... What? "No, there is no way you're going to a club tonight. Your brother will kill me. Plus you're too young." He conveniently forgot that he was also legally too young.
Ava hadn't forgotten they were too young to go to the bar. She'd done her own research, figuring out how to get them online fake IDs. She flashed them at Sebastian as she headed down the stairs toward the lobby, not planning on stopping any time soon.
Sebastian chased after her, almost entirely at a loss for words. "You got *me* a fake ID?" he managed to get out, shocked. He paused and chuckled despite himself. "Well, I must say I'm impressed with that. But... Ava, I'm meant to be keeping you safe tonight, making sure you don't get into trouble. This is getting into trouble."
Ava finally stopped at the door and flipped open her notebook to a blank page. 'This is taking a risk. It doesn't necessarily mean trouble.' She wrote quickly. 'I'm just going to have a few drinks and dance. You can 'keep me safe' at the club.' She held it out to him pointedly as he caught up.
Sebastian couldn't help but glare down at Ava. "You know, I could just throw you over my shoulder and just take you back to the room," he pointed out before sighing heavily, remembering her telekinesis was just as out of control as his electrokinesis. "If Hunter finds out about this, you do realise he'll turn me into a woman right?"
Ava rolled her eyes at the threat, knowing full well she could defend herself. Upon mentioning Hunter, however... She tried not to be worried. 'Don't worry about him.' She jotted down before stepping out the door.
Sebastian gave a huff of exasperation and followed after her. "You owe me, mini Clarington..." He muttered, more to himself than to her. He followed after her, feeling like a child following their bossy mother, but honestly, he didn't really have a choice in all of this. As it turned out, Claringtons were stubborn
Ava finally slowed down a bit, letting Sebastian keep up with her once she decided he wasn't going to drag her back inside. She looked up at him, noting she'd probably caused him quite a bit of grief. She wasn't going to turn back, but the least she could do was encourage a better attitude. She wanted him to have fun, too. She brought her hand up to his chin and lifted it up, mouthing 'chin up' as she did.
Sebastian managed to catch up with Ava. He supposed going out wouldn't be such a bad idea. But he definitely couldn't drink, not if he wanted to keep a steady eye on her. This was probably her first time out, so... who knew what kind of things could happen if he didn't have a sober mind? Her hand on his chin made a light flash of static burst through his skin, but it was warm and pleasant. He chuckled, shaking his head at her almost in disbelief. "Fine," he all but huffed. "But you owe me a dance."
Ava grinned up at him, glad that she'd gotten him to laugh. She nodded in agreement, deciding she definately owed him that much. When she looked ahead, she noticed the exit to the campus, the path to the mutant territory. She could see some familiar faces getting their marks checked. She looked down at her own mark, not having noticed it since she got into Langthorne. She'd almost forgotten about the segregation. About the checks and the rules about territories. She frownded, sighing a bit once they reached the check point.
Sebastian sent a small frown of confusion in Ava's direction as they walked, hearing her small sigh. He didn't ask, instead just shoved his hands into his pockets. Ugh, segregation. He didn't like humans at all, but he always went clubbing in the human area, preferring to know that nobody could use their mutations against him. In fact, he hadn't checked out the mutant clubs at all, and supposed that tonight he would. Not knowing he'd be going clubbing, he hadn't worn his wrist cuff. That said, Ava seemed to know where she wanted to go, and it seemed to be in mutant territory so he supposed that was okay. He could do with a night out anyway, even if he wasn't going to drink at all.
Ava hated how long it took for them to finish up the checks. She just wanted to get a move on, rather than linger in the last place she wanted to be. She sighed in relief once they were finally done, at last being able to pass through the gates into mutant territory. She hooked her arm around Sebastian's as they began to walk down the street. Unlike the city lights in human territory, something Ava only recalled from distant memory, mutant territory usually remained dark save for a few old street lamps and a number of cars passing by. It wasn't the most pleasant place to be after hours, at least out on the sidewalk. But Ava had been living here since she was in middle school. She didn't see the cold, dark area as much of a threat anymore.
Sebastian was bored easily. It had always been a problem for him and was part of the reason he was so hyperactive as a child. Standing in lines made him antsy. But they passed through without an issue and once out of it, he calmed down slightly. Ava's arm was hooked around his. It felt... strange. He'd never done 'intimacy' or anything of the sort. Hell, he'd never so much as held hands with anyone, or linked arms. And whilst he and Ava weren't... like that, the simple act of her holding his arm... felt strangely intimate. And what felt stranger was the fact that he didn't mind it in the slightest. The mutant territory at night looked vastly different to human territory, but he didn't mind that either. "So, I assume you know where we're going," he said, resting a hand lightly on her arm.
Ava nodded simply in response. From what she knew, the club she'd been researching shouldn't be too far away. She pointed to the end of the block, attemtping to signal that it should be just around the corner. When they came to that point, the area became a little brighter, simple neon lights showing up here and there. When they finally reached the building, Ava began to doubt her previous instinct. She could already heard the music through the main doors, blarring into the streets. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She became visibly nervous, slowing down as they got closer.
Sebastian essentially let Ava take the lead, figuring it was her night out so she could have control. He was just here to make sure nobody hurt her, including herself. As the area lightened, he felt her tense beside him. "Stop stressing," he sighed, patting her arm awkwardly.
Ava smiled a bit, remembering how stressed Sebastian had seemed when she'd first pulled this little stunt on him. Now he was telling HER not to stress. She relaxed a little, giving herself a moment before nodding to show she was okay.
Sebastian actually felt Ava calm down beside him. "So is this your first time out?" He asked, trying to make conversation. He knew she couldn't speak, but that didn't mean things had to be an awkward silence between them.
Ava nodded once again in response, not knowing how else to respond. She didn't want to admit that she'd always been afraid of going out alone, not without someone she trusted. It made her seem frail and sensitive, which was something she was trying to prove wrong with this little adventure. She nudged her head toward the door, silently asking if they could go in.
Sebastian gave a soft laugh. "Okay, I'm laying ground rules." Sebastian told her firmly. "Don't accept drinks from anyone except the bartender. That includes me." He turned to face her square on, still keeping a hand on her arm. "I'm dead serious. You cannot trust anyone. I don't... mean to scare you, but you're young, you're innocent and frankly, you're female. The only person you can take a drink from is Hunter, or the barman." He frowned slightly, giving a silent prayer that Hunter never found out about this. "And... try to stay in my sight. You can dance with whoever you want but... just stay in my sight, okay?"
Ava took a minute to review Sebastian's ground rules. They seemed pretty simple. Trust no one. That was something she was frankly used to. They were pretty much on the same page in terms of sticking close to each other. Although she wasn't sure why he was telling her not to trust him... She wouldn't have come here with him if she didn't already trust him. She nodded anyway, confirming that she understood.
Sebastian nodded, giving her a small smile. "Alright, now we can go in. Got your ID?" he pulled wallet from his back pocket, grabbing his own. He'd had it for years now, and it had served him well. Only another year and he would have a legal one.
Ava pulled her own out of her handbag, showing it to him before turning to the door. She took the liberty of opening it herself. The music that had been bleeding through the closed doors suddenly filled her ears completely. She stuck one of her fingers in her ear on instinct as they went inside, wincing a bit.
Sebastian couldn't stop the laughter from pouring out of him as Ava stuck a finger in her ear. "Yes, clubs are loud, sweetheart. That's kind of their deal." He pulled her inside, leading her to the guard. He checked their IDs, looking bored and seemed to give more looks to Sebastian than to Ava before stamping their hands and letting them through. It was hot inside, loud too, hundreds of people dancing against each other. It was still early in the night, but it was kicking and wild.
Ava sent Sebastian a nervous smile, taking her finger out of her ear with a light blush. Quite a few things surprised her once they entered. First off, was how crowded it was. This place looked a lot less filled in the advertisment. Second was the heat. Did this place not have air conditioning? Ava had a feeling her makeup wasn't going to stay neat for very long in these conditions. At least the patrons looked like they were having fun. Why couldn't Ava? She tugged at Sebastian's arm, pointing to the bar. Now was probably a good time to begin letting loose.
Sebastian felt Ava tug his arm and as he looked up saw it was in the direction of the bar. He nodded, not trying to shout over the music. Not wanting to lose her in the mass of writhing bodies, he grabbed her small hand without thinking and started pushing through people. He reached the bar with ease, knowing how to navigate a bar, and also exceptionally glad for his height at the time. "What's your poison?" He shouted at Ava as he drew his wallet out again and ordered himself a light beer.
Ava didn't know exactly how to respond when Sebastian finally asked her what she wanted. She considered not responding at all, since she hated it when people payed for her. But really, what else did she expect? She barely had any money on her. She wasn't sure what there was to choose from, either. It was the only thing she'd neglected to research. She quickly scanned the bar, deciding it would be best to just surprise herself. She pointed to a random beverage one of the club patrons was drinking across the bar.
Sebastian shook his head at Ava. There was no way she was starting on a Long Island Ice Tea. "I'll get you a vodka." He told her, ordering a vodka with red cordial. Girls, in his brief experience, liked those kind of things. Okay, *he* liked them, but wasn't going to admit that. He slid a note across the bar, watched carefully as their drinks were made, and then let the barkeep hand Ava her drink before he took his own light beer. Ugh, light beer. He was really only drinking it until he felt like dancing.
Ava simply shrugged when Sebastian offered her vodka instead. That was a drink she was a little more familiar with. Back in high school, her brother would take out a bottle every once in a while and let her have a sip. She thought it was disgusting at first, but after a few tries it hadn't been so bad. She smiled at the bartender, thanking him silently. She stared at the clear liquid for a moment, wondering if she was even ready to let loose. Shaking her head and pushing all thoughts of turning back aside, she brought the glass up and took three big gulps of the stuff, slamming it back down and making a horribly twisted face as she endured the taste of the strong alcohol. It had been a while, she guessed.
Sebastian laughed again as Ava took her drinks. "Slowly," he said in her ear so that he didn't have to scream over the music. "I'd rather not have to carry you back tonight." He ordered her another drink, shaking his head with an amused smile crossing on his face. Oh god, he was in for a night, wasn't he?
Ava nodded slightly, lifting up her glass once again to take smaller sips this time around. When she was finished, she was surprised to see Sebastian ordering her a second drink. Surely she could take a short break... But then a simple thought crossed her mind. Life was too short to wait. So she shrugged and gladly accepted it, taking slow but long sips and trying to fight the grimace that threatened her face.
Sebastian took a small sip from his beer, grimacing slightly. He'd never been a huge beer fan, but it was always good for a light buzz. He leaned back on the bar, looking over the dancefloor. The music wasn't bad, and there were a few cute faces around that evening. Too bad he wouldn't be getting laid that night. He glanced down at Ava, not sure if he should be checking if she was enjoying herself or not. Was it his responsibility if she was having fun?
Ava finished her second drink rather quickly, deciding maybe life was just long enough to take at least ONE break. She definately felt a little looser now, which was the goal, so things were going well so far. Then again, it'd only been about ten to fifteen minutes. She turned around to gaze at the crowded dance floor. Not long ago, it'd seemed slightly unappealing, being squashed in the middle of several sweaty moving bodies. But not it seemed rather inviting. She tugged at Sebastian's arm again, jumping off her stool and pointing to where she wanted to go.
Sebastian felt a tug on his arm as he absently stared across the crowds. He looked at Ava, who seemed to be wanting to head out onto the floor. He nodded, smiling down at her and quickly gulped the rest of his god-awful beer. He took her hand in his, deciding to let her lead them onto the floor. If they ran into trouble, he could just step in, but perhaps she had an eye on someone on the floor she wanted to dance with. he tried not to let the thought of her dancing with anyone else bother him.
Ava had never actually danced in a club before, or even really at dances. Being so inexperienced, she simply copied those around her, something she was used to doing. Once they were on the dance floor, she turned to Sebastian and began to dance, at first awkwardly, but observing the patrons around her long enough allowed her to move more fluently overtime.
Sebastian smiled to himself as Ava seemed to relax into the crowd eventually. This wasn't so bad, actually. He'd been expecting... oh god, something like an explosion if anyone touched her, but she seemed pretty calm and relaxed, and happily dancing away. Sebastian moved along with the music, doing his usual casual grind with people around. He struggled to keep his hands to himself though, something he usually didn't have to do. He never went out to just dance, only to dance with someone and get laid, and he felt a little out of sorts at not being able to.
Ava was confused as to why those around her, including Sebastian, seemed to be grinding their hips together like that. She enjoyed just moving to the music solo, which some people were apparently loose enough to join her in. Some people offered to really "dance" with her, but she politely signaled that she wasn't interested. Eventually, she could feel the sweat drip down her brow. She stopped, taking a few breaths. Maybe it was time for another drink.
Sebastian enjoyed the heavy thrum of music, loved feeling it through his shoes and the bassline making his heart beat in time with it. He skin thrummed with the energy from the room, a light static building over his skin as he moved. He'd danced with a guy or two, before withdrawing each time, not wanting things to get more heated than necessary if he couldn't take it further. He always stayed a few feet from Ava, not even going to fuck in the bathroom. His skin was sweaty, but honestly, he felt somewhat in his element right then, the grind of bodies around him, the feel of skin on his. It was delightful. He took another look at Ava, and smiled at her over some girls shoulder.
Ava smiled back at Sebastian before letting out another tired breath, wiping the sweat off her brow before deciding to head back to the bar. She had a bit of money in her handbag, so she was probably set to buy herself a drink. She signaled to Sebastian that she was headed to the bar before returning to her stool. She jotted down her order of another vodka, not knowing what else to get, and slid it over to the bartender. She proceeded to rest her head against the bar top, relaxing a bit.
Sebastian kept dancing as he watched Ava head towards the bar. He dropped his attention from her temporarily as he ground against a painfully attractive guy he wouldn't have minded going home with, were he not there with Ava. Fuck, he just really wouldn't have minded getting laid that night... He enjoyed the warm press of bodies for another moment before glancing back at Ava. She was leaning against the bar, obviously getting another drink. He frowned as he saw the bartender pass her her drink, but not before someone slipped something in the drink. Shit. He struggled his way through the crowd, but fighting a mass of bodies was a lot harder when you were in a rush. Fuck, someome had put something in her fucking drink and... He likely wasn't going to get there in time to stop her from drinking it.
Ava finally picked her head up when she felt the bartender tap her shoulder just after he'd placed the drink in front of her. She smiled gratefully, sliding the money to him before sitting up. Just before taking a sip, she noticed the older man sitting beside her giving her a look, like he'd been expecting something. She smiled at him shyly, feeling a little uncomfortable. The guy definitely had a good amount of years on her, probably in his thirties. She nodded at him and scooted down a stool, making it look like she'd dropped a quarter that rolled over there. Feeling a little better, she took a long sip of her vodka. It tasted... Strange. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was from all the dancing or something... She shrugged and took another sip.
Sebastian managed to get to Ava. "Please tell me you didn't drink that." He all but snarled, despite knowing she didn't really know what was going on. He took a small sip of her drink and then tipped the rest out. "That's been spiked. How the fuck could you not taste the difference?" He knew he shouldn't get angry at her, but... fuck, what had she taken? Imagine if he hadn't been there! Who knew what could have happened?
Ava jumped a bit when Sebastian suddenly showed up, confused as to why he was suddenly so angry. She didn't know whether to be afraid of whatever she was drinking or Sebastian himself. She wasn't even sure what he was talking about. It was hard to hear, and she was feeling a tad light-headed from her previous drinks.
Sebastian glared and without really thinking about it, grabbed Ava by the arm, hoping that she wouldn't instinctively send him flying. He all but dragged her outside into the cool air. Once outside, everything felt different. The air on his sweaty skin and shirt sent little shivers through his body and goosebumps over his flesh. It was quieter out there, but the ringing continued through his ears and he could feel the bass still pounding the ground. He turned on Ava, face still in a glare, and rested his hands on her shoulders, bending slightly so his face was more on level with hers. "Are you okay?" He asked finally, trying to reign his emotions in.
Ava wasn't willing to fling Sebastian across the bar to get him off, but she still struggled a bit, trying to show him his grip on her was very uncomfortable. Unfortunately, he seemed too angry and worried to notice. She was a little relieved to be met with cool air once they were outside, yet Sebastian grabbing her shoulders threw her off a bit. She nodded abruptly, but the simple movement suddenly felt very, very wrong. Her vision blurred a bit with the way she moved her head, causing her to become slightly dizzy.
Sebastian clenched his jaw in such a way that it made his head hurt. He took several deep breaths through his nose and then looked back to Ava's face, studying carefully, but what he was looking for he didn't know. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, trying not to let the mild worry he was feeling seep into his voice.
Ava was about ready to nod a second time. She was fine, she wasn't even sure what Sebastian was worrying over. As far as she could tell, he'd just emptied her drink and dragged her out of the club. But she stopped herself when she finally realized how unclear his face was and how light she felt. She trusted her better judgement and shook her head, looking anywhere but up.
Sebastian felt his heart sink when she shook her head. If she'd nodded, said she was fine, he'd have known she was lying, but at the same time, having her confirm it was no more comforting. "Shit..." he breathed, more to himself. This was why he didn't go out with others. He had no idea how to take care of anyone but himself, and even that bit was questionable. "Are you okay to walk back to school?" He asked softly, a hand absently stroking her shoulder up to her neck.
Ava was so focused on her vision, she almost didn't hear Sebastian's question. She brought her hand up to support her head, unsure of whether she could walk straight or not. She'd probably only need a bit of support, but that was about it. She nodded only slightly, making sure not to move her head too much.
Sebastian sighed heavily, more with worry than frustration at Ava's hand on her head. Shit, this was all his fault. He shouldn't have let her go out. But no, he'd just let her walk out the damn door and here she was, mildly drugged, and drunk. Fuck. "I'll trust your judgement..." He muttered, and took her hand. He didn't know why, but he just felt better if he was holding it, if she could signal with a mere squeeze whether or not she was okay.
Ava wasn't quite dizzy enough to struggle in her steps, so she felt rather confident when they began to walk away from the club. She continued to hold her head up with her free hand, following a step or two behind Sebastian. After a bit of walking, however, she stumbled a bit, her hand leaving her head and grabbing the taller boy's sleeve for support.
Sebastian walked slowly, trying to keep himself calm, more for Ava's sake than his own. In his mind, he was honestly freaking out, but to those who viewed him, he looked his usual calm and snarky self. But that was how it always was with him. In his mind, he was a wreck, a mess of swirling emotions hidden behind a cruel and quiet exterior. He swallowed deeply, squeezing Ava's hand softly for his own comfort more than hers. He just had to get her back to school, get her some water, and a bed, and things would be okay. At least, that's what he thought until he felt her stumble beside him, her hand on his sleeve. He spun quickly to face her, a small frown of concern crossing his face. "Ava?"
Ava quickly wrapped her free arm around Sebastian's to hold herself up. She wasn't able to notice Sebastian's convern. Everything was... Distorted. Everywhere she looked. She held on tight, keeping her head down and her eyes shut tight as they kept walking.
Sebastian felt Ava's arm wrap around his waist, and he tugged her closer to him, putting an arm around her shoulder and bringing her to his body. She seemed... very out of it, which was concerning, but honestly, he had no idea of what to do.
Ava didn't know exactly what was holding her up at this point, but she was grately to finally be walking steady. After what felt like a lifetime of leaning on Sebastian and trying not to vomit, she finally felt the enviornment change. They must be inside.
Sebastian sighed, guilt wracking his insides. Ava was feeling cooler in his arms, and the way she was stumbling was honestly upsetting. He was relieved when they reached Langthorne's dorm, nearly having her safe in her own bed. "Hey, we're nearly here..." He said softly, stroking a finger gently where his arm was around her.
Ava couldn't hear Sebastian over the pounding in her head. She could feel the nausea coming on, slowly but surely. Thankfully she didn't feel the need to violently vomit just yet. Not until they were up the stairs and in front of Ava's dorm door.
Sebastian lifted his arms from Ava when they reached her room, needing to get the door open. She seemed to be swaying on her feet? Or was that his own? He'd taken a small sip himself, and who knew if it had effected him at all? "Room key?" he said, holding a hand out for it.
Ava only faintly heard Sebastian's request for the room key. After a few seconds of processing why he had his hand out to her, it finally clicked. Man, she was useless in this state. She hated being useless. She reached into her dress pocket and pulled out her handbag, dropping it in Seb's hand. She was pretty sure she put it in there. She then proceeded to stumble into the wall, leaning on it for support.
Sebastian had the key in hand when he noticed Ava stumble. His hands instantly went out to grab her, hoping she didn't fall. "Shit, tell me next time you feel like that, okay?" He said, putting his arms around her securely, wanting to keep her upright for just another few minutes until he could get her into her room and into bed.
Ava finally felt herself being pulled into her dorm. A small wave of relief washed over her, unfortunately following with a huge wave of nausea. She had to break away from Sebastian's grip, afraid she'd throw up all over him. Luckily, she immediately fell in front of the trash bin just before she let go.
Sebastian gave a huff of relief as they finally made it into Ava's room. His relief was short-lived as Ava yanked out of his grip and fell to her knees, throwing up. Shit. He wanted it to be the alcohol effecting her, but he strongly suspected it was the mouthful of drugs she'd had. He didn't know what it was, but it must have been strong for it to impact her so easily. That said, she was tiny... she probably didn't need much to effect her. He slowly moved up behind her, putting a warm hand on her shoulder, before he sank to his knees beside her. He never had to worry about holding his hair while he vomited, but girls hair was longer. He stroked her hair from her face, feeling a sting of remorse and sorrow as he did so. The least he could do was stop her getting vomit in her hair
Ava 's head hung limp over the trash can once she was finally done. She felt horribly weak, but at least the nausea went away. She mainly just felt tired. Like any minute she just wanted to pass out. But most of all, she was grateful. The situation had hit her like a ton of bricks while she was throwing up. Some guy had spiked her drink. Some guy wanted to dull her senses and hurt her, more than likely the guy she'd been sitting next to at the bar. If Sebastian hadn't been there... She didn't want to think about it. Without thinking about it, she feel over, her head landing on Sebastian's shoulder. She used her last bit of strength to lean up and peck him on the cheek.
Sebastian gently stroked Ava's hair, grimacing as he did so. Poor thing. He knew how awful it was the throw up after a night of drinking, let alone a night where her drink had been spiked... Despite himself, he felt his cheeks burn into a blush as she fell into his shoulder and then kissed his cheek. Well, he hadn't expected that. The warmth that spread through his chest felt strange, new... he didn't know what to make of it. He could think about it later. For now, he needed to get Ava into bed. "Alright, missy, bed." He helped her get onto the bed, basically just lifting her entirely himself. Well, she was tiny. "You get dressed into whatever you sleep in and I'll get you some water and panadol, okay?" He said, walking into her bathroom.
Ava had pretty much let go of her strength after falling into Sebastian. She didn't want to think or process anything anymore, she just wanted to sleep. And her body complied rather quickly. Once she was sprawled out onto her bed, safe and sound, she felt her conscienceness slip. She was out cold before Sebastian had the chance to return from the bathroom.
Sebastian emerged from the bathroom, a glass of water in hand, packet of panadol in the other. He wasn't actually surprised to see Ava out when he returned, although he was glad she'd managed to pull something else on. He smiled ruefully, and set the water and panadol on her bedside table so that she could have them in the morning when she awoke. Whilst the throwing up had been awful, he was pretty sure that the worst of it would be out of her system by then. He pulled her blanket over her, shifting her form easily as he did so, making sure she was nice and warm and... with much hesitation, pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "G'night..." he breathed, even though she couldn't hear him. He moved over to the door, flicked the lights off, and left.
· What: The two kinetics start experimenting with their abilities
· When: Monday, 29th April, after classes
· Where: Clearing in the woods
· Notes:
With hands shoved in his pockets, Sebastian strolled down the front steps of Langthorne, blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted to the brighter light outside. He’d finished with his classes for the day, and despite having had his mutation tutorial that morning, he still felt pretty good. Monday mornings were always his least favourite, not for them being Monday mornings, but for having that particular class. The simple fact was that he had no idea how to use his powers. When he was younger, he’d tried. He hadn’t minded the nosebleeds, or the almost passing out. Now? He would rather die than admit it, but he hated blood to the point that he was tempted to label it his biggest fear. The only thing he feared more than blood was losing control of his powers. The Monday morning class brought both of those fears to the absolute forefront of his mind. To be frank, he didn’t push himself, in fact, pulled himself back in those classes, not wanting to show his teacher just how fucking terrified he was of blood, or losing control. Last time he’d lost control had been… He still couldn’t think about it without panic gripping every fibre of his being.
When Aveline had come forward with the offer that they both work on their powers together, he’d initially blanched. Nope, no fucking way was he doing that. But… she also had a kinetic power, like he did. And she seemed to harbour the same fears as he did, fear of hurting others. Sebastian had no issues inflicting verbals barbs on others with an alarming frequency, didn’t mind making fun at others expense. Hell, he wouldn’t have minded putting little electrical jolts through people at times. The problem was that he didn’t know if he could just limit himself to little electrical jolts; there was always the lingering fear that what he meant to be a little jolt would be enough electricity to burn a hole in them, or kill them. And Sebastian was a dick, but he wasn’t a killer.
The simple fact was, however, that he had to learn. He was sick of being stuck with little hand tricks, sick of being terrified of his own abilities and sick of fearing pushing himself and sick of fearing his stupid nosebleeds that came with it all. If he could gently stretch himself, perhaps there would be no nosebleeds, no risk of hurting others because he’d be in control.
He knew little about Ava, just that she had telekinesis, and was Hunter’s little sister. But he knew enough that he wouldn’t hurt her. If she was anything like him, her telekinesis would protect her faster than his rampant electricity could hit her. If he knew anything from experience, it was that powers liked to protect their owners. Any time someone had taken a swing at him (something that happened often enough), his electricity had flared out without so much as a conscious thought from him, blocking the attack instantaneously. He imagined Ava would be at the least on similar levels. It was a reassuring thought. He could experiment with his powers without fear of hurting her; she could experiment around him without fear of hurting him.
He made his way through the forest on the edges of campus, directing himself towards the place Ava had mentioned they meet. He knew where it was, had run past it numerous times. The forest was peaceful just then, the gentle sounds of animals around him as he quietly pushed through the narrow paths. They didn’t run away, luckily, something that pleased him. He didn’t like people that much; he did like animals, however.
Eventually, he found the clearing and the shack, glancing over it with a careful eye, looking to see if Ava was already there.
