[IC] Fractions: A New Age

[MarshiestMallow]

Nessie sighed, it sounded like the girl still thought she hated her, or didn't want to be friends. She didn't know what to say or do to convince her otherwise. She shifted, unconsciously closer to James, and petted Hope. She decided to just not continue speaking, figuring she would make it worse. She looked down.

running away solves nothing

She grimaced, and looked back up, clenching her fists. "I am N-n-n-nessie" She said, unable to remember if she had told her yet.

[SomeoneSomewere]

Austin's eyes snapped open. And here he was, hoping for quiet. The lava disappeared as his eyes opened. When he chose the dorm room, he went for the one with the least people at that point in time. It didn't last very long. Now he had at least two dorm mates. At least. And apparently people were visiting. He heaved a sigh. No more mediating for him. He stood up, and exited his room, walking into the main area, looking towards the door into the dorm. He watched, his face blank of emotion, arms loosely crossed over his chest as he studied the people. He had met Caroline, another person working on Phorros with him, and apparently the dorm leader. Two others he had seen around, but the final two he could not recall, but they were obviously older then the students.

[makarov]

James shook his hand with a smile and said, "James and its a pleasure man." James Saw Nessie move a little closer so he just leaned into her a little and smiled at everyone, "And Nessie is my..." He caught himself, "Friend." He pointed to Hope, "That's Hope...shes a dog most days...UNless shes being a piggy." Hope barked and bumped her head into James's leg.

[TheLastRunaway]

Nyx reached out shyly, this had been the first time people had greeted her instead of her to them which was weird to her but in a nice way. She smiled at Caroline and shook her hand still staying under Alex's arm. "I am Nyx, it's nice to meet you." She then tried to look at Nessie and broke a nervous smile out. "We've already met." Which made her feel worse, the girl had already forgotten about meeting her. She looked away again and back at the dog and for some reason squirmed excitedly, she wanted to throw herself at the dog and love it with all her heart, she bit her lip to not keep from shouting, "Can I pet her? Or should I ask her if I can pet her?" She looked confusingly at the dog. "Is it okay if I pet your ears Hope?" She asked as if she was as human as the rest of them.

[MarshiestMallow]

Nessie sighed, and stepped back, stepped away because it seemed better then just making things worse. She looked down, wishing that she knew what to say or do. She just wanted to say something that was right, and that wouldn't bring about negative emotions or body language.

She didn't know how she spoke with James or Caroline or Mason without making a mess of things, but why couldn't she do the same with Nyx?

[makarov]

Hope started wagging her tail excitedly and stepped forward and nudged Nyx, Hope attempted to Lick her hands and started getting all over excited and wanting to run around and play with Nyx. James smiled and laughed a little, "Sure she loves attention...Dont let her climb you though shes known to knock people down and lick their faces." James started laughing a little as hope attempted to get Nyx to play. Feeling Nessie step away he looked between Nyx and her, "Hey guys listen...Nyx...Nessie is a great person...and though it may seems she doesn't want to be your friend...like when she looks down or stops talking...Well its because she assumes people won't like her...so she distances herself." James wrapped her in a hug. "But she really does want to be friends...and shes such a wonderful friend."

[MarshiestMallow]

Nessie was shocked that James hugged her. She squirmed for a moment, then returned the hug. James seemed to understand her more then she understood herself. She felt herself blush, and kept her eyes down and didn't speak, not wanting to speak and ruin what he said.

[TheLastRunaway]

Nyx giggled at the dogs attack of licks and rubs as she petted her and played with her, with a few moments of joy that finally took over her return to earth, finally getting hope until James confronted her about Nessie. Nyx stood there like a statue not knowing why she was being looked at as the bad guy in this situation. Her fist clenched as her eyes began to water, she was a bad person. Why did she get pittied when Nyx did nothing more than to be her friend and she dejected her not once but twice yet Nessie was the victim. It wasn't fair. She sobbed to herself and quickly darted out of the room disappearing to who knows where.

[MarshiestMallow]

Nessie sighed. "I d-don't know a-what to d-do or s-s-say with h--her. It's like everything I d-d-do has some n-n-negative effect" she sat down, deciding it might just make it worse if she went to follow. She dropped her head into her hands, feeling like the worse person ever. "H-h-how can you b-b-be friends with s-s-s-someone when e-everything you do m-m-makes them c-c-c-cry?"

[makarov]

James watched Nyx run off and nodded to Alex, but when Nessie started crying he wrapped her tight into his arms and shushed her, "Don't you think like that...Please...shes just sensitive...she'll warm up to you." James moved his head back a little so he could look into her eyes, and for what seemed like the longest moment in eternity, James thought about kissing her. "Besides" he said his voice sounding nervous and his face turning sorta red, "Who cares what other think...I've got your back."

[chukklehed]

Alex glanced back at the group as he chased after Nyx. As he rounded the corner out of the room, he realized Nyx was already gone. Closing his eyes, he opened his mind into his network, taking a second to get used to the disorienting state of having hundreds of eyes looking in different places. He found her quickly and closed the network, Flaring over to her. "Nyx," he started, unsure of what to say. She had always been a bit oversensitive, so he decided to go with what had worked best in the past. "What did you think of Caroline?" He asked, sitting down next to her. He put his arm around her, both to comfort her and keep her from running off again.

[TheLastRunaway]

She sobbed in to her knees. "This place is so cruel Alex, no soul from the depths of the universe would be able to handle it. We don't have a hard shell like humans, I can't take rejection, I can't handle any of it. What is so with the peace I try to make and it's only when I am corrupted people want to apologize or make it seem like it's my fault." She turned in to him. "I want to go home, and I want you to come with me." She whined under his shoulder. "It's like falling all over again."

[MarshiestMallow]

Nessie sighed. She had never had a chance to have any girl friends before, and now she was failing with one. She wished, somehow, she could just make it better. Make it so she didn't end up making Nyx cry all the time, or make it seem like she was rejecting the girl. She couldn't understand how though, and so she was doomed to fail over and over again with her, it seemed.

She sighed again, and managed a small smile for James "th-thank you. At l-least I d-don't mess things up with y-you" she leaned into him, pressing her face against his shoulder.

"I f-f-feel like s-s-s-such a c-c-c-cruel puh-puh-puh..." She couldn't get it out and that just made it a thousand times worse. She gripped his shirt in her hands, frustrated. "I d-d-don't know what I'm doingw-w-wrong"

"I j-j-just want to m-make it r-r-right" her voice sound soft, and somehow small.

[chukklehed]

Alex looked at her sadly. "You know that if I could, Nyx, I would not hesitate to leave this broken world behind, but I cannot. The best I can do is help you here." He pickedlifted her onto his lap, stroking her hair softly. "Keep in mind we humans are mistrustful by nature. All of the students here are good people, changed by the tragedy of living here. I'm sure even Z was once kind. Nessie learned to deal with the world by keeping it and everybody else at arms length, it's not your fault you don't know. You innocently believe that people will accept you immediately, and there is nothing wrong with innocence." Alex held her close and spoke into her ear. "Can you give her another chance? Not only for me, but for both of you? I think she is ready to accept you now."

[TheLastRunaway]

She kept her face in her hands even when she was lifted in to his lap where she could easily lay her head on his chest and cry, and then she began to cry harder. "Do you remember those girls who lived off Crawford Avenue?" Her tears were so hard you could barely hear her talk. "Remember how they said they were sorry and you told me to try again... and... and they cut off all my hair at the slumber party?" She scrunched herself in to a ball so tight in his lap while she remembered waking up with no hair in places and it chopped to pieces with writing all over her face. "I- I don't want to do that again.." Even though the hair thing was a horrible it wasn't as horrible as when she burned down the girl's home and killed their entire family because she was upset. "Y-You think you're the only monster here." She huffed, trying to catch her breath.

[makarov]

James leaned his head against hers and simply held her, "You are the first person..." James swallowed his fear, "the first person I've ever had feelings for. You have been so kind i can't even begin to describe how i feel when I'm around you! You aren't doing anything wrong." James looked into her eyes and all the sound in the room disappeared, as he stood there...time seemed to fade away and it was at this moment James felt something he hadn't felt in a long time...Love. James leaned in no fear now, it was now or never, he had this one chance...and so slowly James kissed Nessie. It was quick and didn't last long at all but the moment he broke it he looked down in shame, Fear raced through him, What if she didn't feel the same...what if she just wanted to be friends...what if this ruined their friendship, the one thing that burned him the most though was this, What if he was going to be Alone again...because of one stupid action.

[chukklehed]

"It's not the same here. Back then I was young and ignorant, far too trusting, and I got you into trouble. Now I know people's hearts, and Nessie is a good person who needs a positive influence. And besides," he lifted her chin so she was looking into his eyes, "I wasn't there to protect you back then, and my sister will be there too. Do you trust me, Nyx?"

[TheLastRunaway]

She wanted to get mad, she was just supposed to let everyone in so everyone could be happy. "Fine whatever. I'll do what everyone wants me to do like always." She pulled herself from his arms, not really knowing what to say since even Alex seemed to be on her side. "I am going to find some clothes." she said as she disappeared down the hall. "I am the bad person like always." She whispered to herself.

[MarshiestMallow]

Nessie froze when he kissed her. She had never kissed or been kissed by anyone that wasn't a relative, at that didn't count. Before she could ever react, it was over, and James was looking down. Nessie swallowed, conscious now of how close they were together, she could feel his heart beating beneath her fingers.

"James" she didn't stutter his name, her voice soft, her tone pleasantly surprised. "James, I..." Speaking never got her anywhere it seemed, so she gently took his face on in her hands, tilting his head up. She was confused, surprised, yet staring into his eyes, she felt safe. She felt as if she didn't have to speak, didn't have to do anything to simply have him there, and that meant a lot to Nessie. She smiled. She seemed to be doing that a lot, around him.

He made her feel better, made her feel as if she meant something, and she treasured that. She kissed him softly.

[makarov]

James looked into her eyes and suddenly all of his fears seemed to fade, she was smiling at him. James's heart started beating faster and he felt as if the world were falling away, "I just...I'm sorry for..." but he was cut off by Nessie slowly leaning in and kissing him. James's mind went blank and numb as she kissed him. And so James slowly kissed her back wanting this moment to last him forever, wanting to have her by his side forever. And for the first time in his life since he was child...James felt safe.