Rhapsody

The Outpost | Always accepting

and i'm waiting for GracefulFox ^.^

The Outpost | Always accepting

Hmm,.. hope the rest will get back to posting soon again as well ~

Malicious. Unintended. Super & Elegant (Muse) [VKAllen x Rhapsody]

Happy that her suggestion was received with so much enthusiasm on Lanns side as well, Emilia was already looking forward to talk to him properly, get to know him that much more. She was aware that neither of them knew much about the other. SHe stopped for a bit to get his bike and together they went across and down the street leading to the market place. They went along a few stalls , not really looking quite yet though, then stopped in front of the café. It had a vintage kind of look about it and the wooden sign over the door read 'Timeless Riviére'. Like the sign, most of the furniture inside was wooden, the tablecloths were an old looking beige color and the whole cafe was decorated with flowers and cute little decorative items. It was probabyl a little too cute for Lanns taste, but Emilia had always loved coming here.

"Welcome to Timeless Riviére! How can I help you to~" Lauren, the waitress and daughter of the owner of the cafe broke off her enthusiastic welcome when she recognized her guest. Her business smile widened into an earnest one. "Oh my! Hello Emiia. How are you?" she inquired right away, but not letting Emilia answer more than a warm "I'm good, thank you." before she called out to the cook: "Hey Jimmy! Emilia's here!" Jimmy, of course, instantly peeked his head out the door, waving at her with his free hand. SHe laughed and waved back.

"Please come this way!" Lauren spoke again and led them to a table a little off from the rest, seperated by little bamboo fences. Its walls were black and th light bulbs were orange, giving a comfortable atmosphere. The wooden chairs where comfortably cushioned and the round table perfect for setting up books and whatnot to study. Lann took a seat and Emilia and Lauren provided them each with a menu before she finally broke down and asked the question she'd been wanting to ask ever since she had seen Emilia step into the cafe with an unfamiliar guy. "Who's the guy with you today anyway Emilia? You boyfriend?" she inquired, acting casual about it. EMilia noticed Lann looking up at the last part, blushing and hiding it with his menu. A smile played on her lips, and the blush crept into her cheeks as well.

She threw Lauren a disapproving look, but felt compelled to answer. "He's a good friend. For now." she answered, blushing even more at her own answer. SHe looked down, focusing on the menu, hoping the giggling Lauren would get the hint and leave. She did, though not before trying to get a better look at Lann. Emilia already knew she'd be doing that everytime she passed the table. She read the menu, though she pretty much knew it by heart. "What are you going to get?" she directed the question at Lann, who was still hiding his blush behind the menu. That is so cute. her mind whispered to her and her smile grew a little amused. To sitract her thoughts she put the menu to the side and prdoceeded to pull out her notes and book. "Which do you want to do first? I could catch you up on chemistry from this morning." For a second she contemplated adding that she'd been distracted back then, because of her worry over him, but she held her tongue. She remembered about Lann having helped Daniel though. "You're good at math right?"

Malicious. Unintended. Super & Elegant (Muse) [VKAllen x Rhapsody]

Emilia watched the whole scene with a big smile on her face. The picture of Kat including Lann in her quarreling with Daniel seemed jsut so right and somehow familiar. It took a while but the Kat ran out into the hallway, Daniel chasing after her. Her eyes wandered to Lann, who was now stepped towards her, pulling a chari closer and sitting down next to her. She smiled at him, butterflies awakening in her stomach and making ehr blush a little. "HAve any plans besides homework today, Emi?" he asked and she shook her head. "I was thinking maybe we should just hang out around the market a little before I walk you home again." he went on, making her smile weetly at him. For a moment she was simply relieved that nothing seemed to have changed on his side, sicne yesterday evening.

Their friends voices faded from the allway and silence descended upon them. Not the awkward kind that made you desperatly search for a topic, but the comfortable kind that needed no words."Or maybe we should so our homework together right now? Then we'll have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves! What do you think?" he asked her and she nodded, enthusiastically. His gaze made her blush as she answered him. "Theres that great cafe by the market place, I go there sometimes to do my homework with Kat. The owner is a friend of her parents, she's really nice. How about it? Afterwards we would be right beside the market." she suggested, getting up and, thingking for a second about reaching for his hand, then stopped herself. One after the other, Emilia. Take you rimte! her mind whispered to her and she knew it was right. Maybe later, they would hold hands, but after yeterday it was clear they needed to slow down a little.

Malicious. Unintended. Super & Elegant (Muse) [VKAllen x Rhapsody]

It occupied Emilias mind for a while to see Sirius act so strangely before heading for his student council duties. He had almost seemed to be in a hurry to get away from them. Or one of them? She had never managed to figure him out completly. He was open and out-going on the outside, quarreling with Kat and Daniel and sometimes with Emilia as well and overprotective of his little sister, but sometimes Emilia had the feeling there was something he wasn't telling them, or her at least. She left it to Daniel, to explain Sirius' position to Lann, musing over her thoughts until it was time to get back to class.

Her back wandered over to Lann a few times until the next lesson started, during which it would've been too obvious to do. School would be over soon and she wondered what they'd do afterwards. Or if he wanted to spend some mor time with her. Kat and Daniel would have training again, since the tournaments would come up soon and Sirius had his student council duties to take care of.

It was easier now for some reason, to concentrate on the lesson, which as good, since math was one of those things where you had to keep close attention to get anything. She diligently took notes, adding little comments to examples and noting down the pages Mr.Collins mentiones as good study-material. It wasn't like she was some kind of model-student, but she always made sure to get good grades, not only so that her father wouldn't have to worry. Once it was time to choose a university to attend, she wanted to have open options for whatever she intended to do with her life then, even if she didn't know what that would be yet.

The bell rang and it seemed like the whole class sighed in unison, finally free of the heavy thinking and hard questions to solve. The homework Mr.Collins had given was more than usual, but nothing impossible and as far as she could tell, the questions were quite similar, mostly intended to help with memorizing the way of solving their kind properly. As she packed up her things, she already heard her friends voices from behind her and her ears perked up by the mention of Lanns name. She put on her jacket and slung her bag over her shoulder turning around as she heard Daniel say thank Lann for helping him and then turning to tease Kat. "Come on Kat! You can call me now if you need help with mathematics stuff!" he told her, grinning stupidly and ruffling Kats hair the way he always did with Emilias as well. She giggled at the statement. Daniel had never been one to put much effort into math and had never been too fond of it either.

Her giggle caught Daniels attention and he turned to her, raising his eyebrows and pouting, as if angry and hurt at her reaction. "What? You whink I can't do it? You think I'm too stupid for that?" he made a funny noise that was probably supposed to be moping, but couldn't get it right, making her laugh even more. A sly grin spread on his face and she quickly took a few steps away, putting a desk between him and herself as his hand reached for her hair. "Sais the one who needed me to tutor him last year to get through the math exams." she teased him, then stepped to the side again when he tried to catch her, coming around the desk. She ran as he caught up, and, without thinking much about it, hid behind Lann to escape Daniel. "Don't you have to go?" she asked, laughin as she peeked over Lanns shoulder at Daniel.

Malicious. Unintended. Super & Elegant (Muse) [VKAllen x Rhapsody]

Absolutely uncomfortable, Emilia ignored Daniel question, instead focusing all her attention on the apple. She couldn't explain to herself why she ahd snapped like that. She didn't like Ebony much, that mwas true, but the two of them had barely ever exchanged a word. And now that she had time to think properly, she realized Lann had not even answered to any of her advances. She sighed quietly and glanced at Lann, who seemed to not know what to do with himself. The whole group was silent now, obviously not knowing how to handle the situation and Emilia felt guilty for ruining their break like that and making Lann awkward.

"Lann, why are you sitting there by yourself?" Sirius asked and she watched, a smile slowly forming on her face as Sirius had Lann come over to sit with them, including him into the group. She noticed Lann hadn't brought anything and scowled. Then remembered he'd been over an hour late so, maybe... "Here." she pulled her half of the sandwich from her bag, offering it to him. "I bet you had no time to eat this morning." she added gently. She was not going to accept a rejection. It was her fault and, for once she did already have a proper breakfast.

"So, isn't that tournament coming up soon Kat?" she asked her friend, desperately trying to get them all to think about something else. It worked. In a matter of c´seconds get was going on and on about soccer, explaining a few details to Lann when she thought it necessary and apparently motivatng Daniel to start talking about his sports club and the upcoming tournaments as well. Emilia felt relieved and looked at Lann, giving him a smile, before listening to the two of them walk again. She remembered how she talked with Lann yesterday about clubs and that she was searching for one to join, but was not sure what she'd like to do. Maybe not joining would be fine after all, if that meant she'd get to spent time with Lann, who already seemed so strangely familiar.

Malicious. Unintended. Super & Elegant (Muse) [VKAllen x Rhapsody]

As they rounded the corner after having left the classroom, Lann stopped her, reaching up to fix her hair. She blushed at the cute gesture and smiled back at him. Her eyes fell onto his hands, still wrapped in the bandages she had put on them yesterday, since they were messy and deranged. She laughed. "Maybe you should get them changed?" she suggested. They stood there, gazing at each other until Sirius voice cut in the moment, separating them just in time to step away from each other and head on as the other three rounded the corner. They went on, heading trough the yard and around the building to the back. Emilia noticed Lann looking around, not liking that thought that he might be searching fro Ebony, who he'd been staring after the day before. She scowled. It only got worse when they arrived at their usual place and there she was. Ebony sitting there with some of her friends. "What the hell?! What are you doing here Ebony? This is our spot!" Kat duriosuly yelled, Daniel barely able to keep her in line.

"Oh geez, you two just ruin the peaceful view of the hill with you voices. Can't you just settle down and sit somewhere across or something? We're the first ones to be here after all.." Emilia had to admit none of them could say anything against that and was already about to suggest they find somewhere else to go, when she noticed the way EBony was eyeing Lann. She scowled. "Oh hello there. Are you that new student who came in yesterday?" Her voice had a tone she could not stand. Emilias scowl got harder. She was glaring daggers at Ebony as the girl got up, dusting her skirt off, which was way shorter that allowed before looking at Lann. Who, Emilia noticed with a glance at him, seemed uncomfortable at such attention. "You're quite the attractive one. Strong shoulder and solid chest. Although I can't help but wonedr why your hands are patched up so horribly. Maybe it's because you were from Angelo HighSchool?" she asked, making Emilia grit her teeth, her fingers twitchng to grab Lanns hand, to show he was.. What? Yours? You met him only yesterday! she shut the voice in her mind out. And fortunately, Lann was taking it calmly, explaining: "Give it a rest Ebony... Something came up on my way home yesterday.

"hmm..Interestin. What's you name, honey?" Ebony asked with a charming smile on her face. That was the bit she had needed to make Emilias self-control snap. "Not you business." she told Ebony off, grabbed Lanns hand and turned around, pulling him with her, sure the others would follow them. She heard Ebony laugh behind them calling something after them, she could not make out. She walke don sternly heading out of sight of that woman and then onto the grass, only stopping when they had reached a bench unedr one of the trees.

She halted and snapped back out of it. Four pairs of eyes were staring at her when she turned to face them. Her hand was still clutching Lanns. She cleared her throat, face burning at the realization of what she actually done. "I...I just don't like her." she excused herself quite badly. It was obvious noone was believing that kind of excuse. Even more so when they noticed her still holding onto Lanns hand. Her face grew even brighter. "Let's eat." she said, irritated and sat down on the bench, letting go of Lanns hand trying to ignore their shocked stares as she pulled out an apple and bit into it. She was aware just how much out of character she had just acted, but she didn't exactly regret it.

The Outpost | Always accepting

Takiko stopped sorting through her medical supplies when he turned his eyes on her again. He introduced himself and surprised her with evaluating his own injury so confidently. She tried not to give anything away when he inquired again, whether she had Medical training. She was hesitant to tell him that most of what she knew was theoretical, there was noone else her who could take care of that wound, which she had yet to see for herself, and she wasn't about to tell him that her experience with stitches was limited to having been taught a little on a banana, during her internship at the hospital. And she was still sure the guy had only wanted to get her into bed with him.

"Takiko, I can't remember how I got here." James stated and she scowled, a concussion could mess with the memory, but she was sure not to that degree. "Here as in Chicago or here as in this basement?" she asked, unsure what she sould do if it was amnesia. She got up and walked around him to get a look at the wound. She swallowed, grabbing the torchlight to get a better look. As expected of a headwound, there was plenty of blood around. The wound was a large, but swallow scrap along his skull, part of his sking barely hanging on from a thin band of flesh. Good that she wasn't squeamish when it came to that sort of thing. She cleared her throat. "You should lie down. I don't have any painkillers and I'll have to thuroughly clean the wound first to avoid inflammation. Together with the stitches... I think sooner or later it will knock you out, to be honest." she told him, hoping he wasn't the kind of proud I-can-endure-anything type. She stepped back around him, balling her jacket and holding it out to him. "You can use it was a pillow." she suggested.

Then she proceeded to disinfect the needle she usually used to patch up her clothes and, lacking in anything better, did the same to the yarn she had as well. She would do it again after having cleaned the wound, just to be sure. It would have to do. She just hoped they could avoid inflammation. Getting medicine wasn't that easy anymore. Takiko glanced at James and something came to mind. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" she asked him, her eyes searching for traces of a bite-wound on his body.

Malicious. Unintended. Super & Elegant (Muse) [VKAllen x Rhapsody]

In the chaos of the start of the break, Emilia sighed with relief. She wasn't used to being unable to concentrate like that not even when she was tired. She hoped the notes she made were coherent enough to help her repeat everthing when she got home. She grabbed her water and lunch, holding the water bottle to her body with her arm while her hand carried the bag and got up, her free head pulling Lann's phone out of her skirtpocket.

She had heard the guys coming over, started quarreling as soon as they arrived and of course pulling Kat into it. Emilia stepped towards them, only granting them a grin and an eye-roll at the suggestion to leave Daniel behind again like the day before and then turned to Lann, who was waiting without saying anything. She held out his phone. "I am so sorry! When I realized I still had it you were already gone." she apologized earnestly, giving Lann her best puppy eyes and biting her lip.

"Wait,.." Sirius exclaimed, his attention now focused on them. "So it's Emilia's fault that you were late!" Emilia glared at him. "I never meant to.." she was cut off by Daniel looking at them suspiciously. "Why do you even have his phone?" he asked, focusing all of Sirius and Kat's attention on her as well. She swallowed. There was no way she would tell these gossipers anything about what had happened yesterday evening. Kat, maybe, but only when they were alone and she had sworn not to spill the beans to anyone. She smiled innocently. "He lend it to me." she answered, using a tone of voice that said: 'Isn't that obvious?' and raising an eyebrow at Daniel.

Daniel sighed and reached out to ruffle her hair, purposefully to annoy her for giving him such an answer. "Shall we go?" she asked casually, turning around and throwing Lann a wink when she could be sure the other three wouldn't notice. He took the phone and they left the classroom first, the other three starting to quarrel again as they followed.

Malicious. Unintended. Super & Elegant (Muse) [VKAllen x Rhapsody]

Arriving at school, Emilia had entered the yard, keeping an eye out for Lann all the time, while meeting up with Kat and Daniel and heading inside. She hadn't seen him anywhere outside and she was pretty sure, or at least hoped, that he was going to look for her as well. So she thought, maybe he would be inside already. He wasn't. And he didn't get there before class started either. It was possible he had overslept because she still had his phone, which had had an alarm set, but her mind found the possibility of something having happened to him, probably on his way hom from her house yesterday evening, way more interesting. Resulting in her having trouble properly concentrating during their science lesson because she was worried about him.

She made notes as best as she could, getting the gist of what Mr.Collins was talking about, but otherwise not managing to memorize much of it. Over an hour went by until running footsteps could be heard in the hallway and the door opened suddenly, revealing Lann completly out of breath and huffing in exhaustion. The whole class was silent for a few seconds, then broke out laughing. "Mr.Langley. You're awfully early today." Mr.Collins mocked dryly, making everyone only laugh harder. That last comment had her giggling a little as well, now that she was relieved, knowing he was fine. She noticed him looking and gave a slight wave of her hand. He seemed plenty embarrassed and it made her feel a little sorry for him. It seemed he had simply overslept and the thought of that made her feel guilty, because she was the one that had forgotten to give him back his phone. She wanted to speack up and explaing that it was her fault, not Lanns, but explaining the situation would turn out badly for sure.

"Sorry Mr.Collins. Looks like the boogie man's at it again." Lann answered and hurriedly sat down, not noticing the raised eyebrow and generally annoyed look he earned from the teacher, instead being teased by some of the other students. Emilia scowled, but knew those kinds of things would be forgotten in a few weeks at most. "Alright boys and girls, that's enough! Back to your books everyone." the teacher's voice cut in, hushing the students. He went on with his lesson, then stopped and looked at Lann, explaining: "Oh yes, page 163 on your text book Mr.Langley. The rest you can read on the board."

Unfortunately, now that Lann had arrived safe and sound, Emilia couldn't concentrate any better. Her mind was replaying the scenes from the former evening again and she had to force herself to keep from glancing back at him all the time. Mr.Collins seemed to notice her being distracted, and had some fun with asking her questions here and there, which she could answer mostly, though it took her a second to put her answer together coherently every time. Noone else seemed to think much of it, but as soon as the lessong was over, Kat tapped her shoulder.

Emilia turned around, looking questioningly at her friend, who seemed a little worried. "You're acting weird, is something up?" Kat asked, probably thinking af the time of her parents divorce, when Emilia had been inattentive and restless, closing herself off a little. It had been easily resolved back then, by spending less time at home and more time at Kat's or Daniel's house. She had even slep over at theirs a lot back then. Now, Emilia gave a reassuring smile and shook her head. "I just didn't sleep well." she told her, and then proceeded to change topics. "Did you notice the power outage yesterday evening?.." she started, getting into conversation with Kat until the short break was over and the next lesson started out. After which she would finally have the time to seek Lanns company, and give his phone back.