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 Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:24 am
Silence.
Kenth gave an annoyed grunt and sat up, removing his hand from his eyes and revealing the same piercing look. He wasn't looking away this time. Instead, he was staring into Alex's face, and even if the woman tried to avoid his gaze, Kenth's eyes looked as if they were going to hunt her down.
The eyes were annoyed, almost angry.
Kenth leaned forward so he was closer to Alex. He raised one hand, lifted above the woman's head and let it fell sharply, stopping a few inchest before touching Alex's hair. There the hand turned, all fingers retracted back to touch the palm except one. There, Kenth trailed that lone finger down across Alex's cheek, almost, but not touching the woman's dark skin. It followed the tear trial that had now been cleaned away, and eventually fell back to Kenth's knees.
Afterwards Kenth stopped staring and looked away to the computer screen. "Do whatever you want. But keeping them within would not be a good choice for your health."
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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:43 am
She managed to open her eyes again as he grunted, wearily looking up to him, waiting for the reproachful repremand that would put her in her place. It never came.
Alex couldn't tear her eyes from his, pinned down and cowed by those icy blues. For the first time in her life, she felt like she was the prey, and that she was very much cornered. The woman did not cringe as it seemed as though he would strike out, or pat her like an annoying dog. What followed next made those green orbs became wide, still unwavering, feeling the line of warmth on her face despite the fact that he wasn't touching her. She could feel it all the same, and it caught her breath in her constricted throat.
The chair she was in inched forward until her knees touched his own seat. Just as slowly, she leaned towards him, much as he had to her; unlike him, however, she did touch him. Her forehead pressed against his shoulder, her fists unfurling to reach for his arm, hesitating in mid-air above it. More tears fell, silent, her body taken with a final, hard shudder before she allowed more tears to escape her...just a few.
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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:53 am
The young doctor seemed to have expected what was coming, and managed to stay in his seat, allowing the distressed woman to lean against him, allowing her to...cry.
Kenth gave a quiet sigh. His two arms were held tightly at the arms of the chair. His hands cringed into fists, as if he was trying to withold something from happening. Eventually, however, his hands relaxed. Kenth let his arms to be lifted away from where they were. One of them dropped down to the side, and the other reached out, landing slowly onto Alex's head.
There he stayed, and said nothing. With his eyes closed, Kenth listened and felt Alex's tear fell across her face, few landing on his clothes.
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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:05 am
Fingers entwined with the fabric of Kenth's coat, not really holding his arm, simply trying to touch for comfort. She felt him relaxing, and it made her feel a little guilty, wondering if she was encroaching on his personal space again, if it was unwanted or undesired...
If Alex thought she was shocked before, she was positively floored when he reached out to her - of his own free will - and rested his hand on her head. That simple motion seemed to push away the rest of the broken shield that the woman had tried to keep around herself, leaving her vulnerable, but in the presence of the one she adored more than anything. It felt that, perhaps, they were just a man and a woman, without expectation and pretense.
"Kenth..." Her voice lilted, and with his gentle motion and his name on her lips, she cried. The woman let her tears go against his shoulder, her own shaking with unrestrained but silent sobs, letting her pride go in favor of Kenth and his compromise.
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:40 am
The young doctor stayed silent as Alex cried in his chest. His eyes were closed and titled backwards, trying best to relax his muscles. Kenth disliked this kind of intimate contact, but it seemed to be the most useful thing to do to make Alex feel better. He could feel his heart cringing against the warmth that radiated from the woman's body. It contracted and expanded faster than usual, trying to keep up with the build-up of pressure. The heat was also spreading out. It was the kind of warmth that Kenth had abandoned a long time ago...
"Alex" the young doctor eventually sighed. His voice a little hoarse and deep, "You need to rest."
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:44 am
The shaking had subsided over the span of silence, to the point only a few shudders ran through her before he said anything. Alex heard his voice through his chest, a gentle rumbling that made her realize she was falling asleep on him. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she murmured in a ghost of her former good humor, "I am resting."
She pulled back, however, rubbing her face, which was surprisingly lacking any signs of having been crying at all. It was though she had recovered from a minor set back, rather than bawling her eyes out on the poor doctor. The only sign that it had happened was a slight redness around the bright green of her eyes, but that could easily be attributed to her tiredness.
"You should get some rest too, Doctor. I'd bet a month's wages that you're not sleeping or eating properly." Her lips quirked in a faint smile, adding, "Not that I'm exactly a role model of health, either."
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:03 am
Kenth looked at Alex for a moment, and sighed. "I'm used to this."
It was half truth. After all, Kenth did have moments where he'd stay late at night and be sleep deprived for a long time. He didn't tell Alex, however, that it was because he was distracted by thoughts that seemed to come out of nowhere that he wasn't able to get his works done and therefore not getting enough rest. It was no use in telling it to Alex. The woman would only be more worried.
Not that he'd care if she worried or not. He could just brush her away like HIM.
"A month seems a little too extreme. You would lose your month's wage if you really made the bet." Kenth murmured. He meant the words to be serious, but it somehow came out sounding like a tease. Slightly annoyed by how his voice sounded, Kenth got up from where he sat, and walked around in the room, stretching a little to relax his body from sitting to long in the same position. He looked out to the window, seeing the morning sun just about to rise.
"What time is it?" Asked Kenth absently.
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:51 am
Alex arched a slender brow over her emerald gaze, asking, "Used to not eating and sleeping? It's not any more acceptable if it's a habit, Doctor." Back to formalities. He'd never told her that she could outright call him by his name, and until that day came, she would use the title he had earned.
She watched him with what could only be described as open fondness, a small smile beneath warm eyes. The next thing out of his mouth almost made her laugh; she caught herself with only a twitch of her lips, and thankfully so, as it seems he was irritated by his own statement. Instead, she countered, "You think so, Mr. I'm Used To This?" She did laugh at that, standing as he got up to move around. The woman quickly grabbed the desk, feeling momentarily dizzy, shaking her head and hoping the doctor was too busy pacing to notice. She sorely needed to rest, but she also needed this time with Kenth. He soothed her, made her peaceful.
"Time?" she echoed, glancing out the window. Judging by the sun's placement in the sky, Alex answered confidently, "Nearly five in the morning." Leaning against the desk casually, she turned to observe his motions, "You didn't get much sleep, did you." A statement, not a question. The woman had awakened him enough to know by now.
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:45 am
"I'm fine with my life pattern." Kenth replied rather bitterly, but not sounding convinced enough even to himself. He didn't turn around to look at Alex, and instead continued to stare off in space, facing the direction of the window. Truth to be told, he wasn't even sure when he'd fallen asleep. It could be 10 minutes before the woman came in for all he could tell.
...He felt horrible. Cranky, sleepy, and tired. It was not the first time he'd felt like this, but work had always kept the attention away from such negative feelings. Now that he was up and not working after a lack of sleep, the horrible feelings came back and nearly consumed him. But even so, Kenth felt reluctant to start the laptop again and pick up where he'd left off before his mind lost itself in darkness. He was certain that it had something to do with the presence of Alex...
He sighed. He was the one who said that the woman could come in at anytime, after all. Silently Kenth turned back to the desk and closed the lid of the laptop and unplugged all the wires connecting to the machine. Keeping his eyes focused on the silver shade of the computer, he muttered quietly.
"I'm going back to the dorm."
Kenth left no instructions for Alex. He could care less in his condition. The woman could choose to leave or choose to follow. It was up to her.
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:24 am
A small, sad smile surfaced on her face at his rebuke, shaking her head to herself. She was going to tell him there was nothing wrong with his life, but she didn't want to upset him after what he'd done for her. Alex closed her eyes, quietly thankful that she had brought him dinner all this time; if he'd eaten at all before she arrived, it was hard to say. As Greg had so aptly joked with her, she probably weighed more than Kenth did.
Green eyes opened as the laptop next to her clicked shut, looking at the doctor. She could see he was worn, having a brief and wild thought that maybe he hadn't slept well since her absence. Well now, wasn't that absurd? He may not have even noticed she was missing, if not for the meals that ceased.
"I'll go with you," she said quietly at his remark, pushing herself off the desk carefully, making sure the office wouldn't jolt suddenly with her dizziness. "I need to head that way anyway," she added, intending to follow the man to whoever's room was first. Alex almost added a joke about tucking him in, but bit it back, feeling strangely tender and appreciative towards the cold and callous man. Being flirty seemed rude, somehow.
It was innocent enough, but she couldn't stop the jaunty grin that surfaced at the idea of knowing where Kenth's room was. She really needed to sleep...
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:59 am
Kenth didn't respond. Rather, he had no strength to respond. He must have fallen sick somehow with all the irregular sleeps and eating patterns. It was a sickness without cure, for he was addicted to working in a strange way, almost like a kind of drug, and not working took all his strength and will away. He turned and walked almost ghostly to the door, leaving it open as he stepped into the hallway, expecting Alex to shut the door behind. He walked slowly and quietly, sometimes stumbling upon himself as an indication that he was still not feeling well from getting almost no sleep. His mind, thankfully, was clear enough to know where he was going, and was strong enough to make sure the body wouldn't fall. Perhaps he had been sitting down for too long, so long that walking became a burden.
It was not a short walk from the science building to the teacher's dorm. Not only did he have to cross the labs and near the gym, there was a short time where he'd be outside as well. Kenth shuddered at the sudden rush of cold air. It did, however, give him some energy for him to keep walking. His lips were tightly shut, and the young doctor instinctively tugged his long lab coat together to gain warmth. The walk was silent, for Kenth had not the mind to look back on the woman that was following him.
The main tower where every teacher and staff's dorms were located stood tall. A few lights were never turned off at night, but deemed as the day became brighter. Sliding his ID carelessly across the main gate, the automatic system opened smoothly, making out perhaps the loudest voice Kenth had ever heard during the past few hours. He had not been back to his dorm for at least 3 days. Yet it didn't matter, for the room had nothing but a bed to sleep on, a couch to sit in, and a kitchen stove that the man had never laid his fingers upon. He didn't bother with the other equipment, since he was certain that he'd not visit the place often for the sake of his life---and he was right about that.
He pressed a finger against the elevator's "up" button, and the metal door shifted open, since no one was using it at this hour of the day. Stepping in, Kenth spoke the first word since he had left the office.
"Which floor?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:03 pm
The woman followed like a silent shadow, not too close, not too far. She jumped everytime he stumbled, but refrained from reaching out, as the man seemed to carry on without any trouble. Alex found the situation ironic, and fitting; she always being near in case she was needed, ready to lend a hand, content to be in the background.
Her breath escaped her lips in a frosty plume, a brief shiver taking her as they walked outside. She wasn't cold, still wearing a tank top, but she did enjoy the colder weather. Alex was something of a warm blooded type, rarely ever cold, even in the depths of winter. She had enough energy and a high enough metabolism to act like a small heat generator to anyone near by.
It was with this thought in mind that she entered the elevator, moving near enough to brush against Kenth, but making sure that she did not do so. In fact, she was taking great pains not to look at him, acting casual as though nothing had happened between them less than an hour ago. Her eyes were fixed on the sky as the doors closed; it was morning, and her internal clock was not going to let her sleep more than a half hour.
"Don't worry about it," she said quietly, aware of the silence that had followed them, "I'd wake up in a little while, so...I think I'll bid you farewell at your door before I go take a jog to clear my head. Mm, and a nice hot shower." She smiled to herself, casting only a brief glance to Kenth before shifting her weight, waiting.
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:17 pm
Kenth again responded with silence. He leaned forward and pressed the number 4 on the elevator's panel, and leaned himself backwards against the metal wall, reflecting his own back image. The elevator rose with a slight noise indicating of its movement. And it didn't take long till the machine stopped, taking the two..one of them to his destination. Slowly getting up from where he had leaned, the young doctor walked out, almost stumbling against at the entrance.
Kenth's room was all the way back in the long and dark hall way. It wasn't something he had requested, but it didn't bother him that his room was away from most of the other dorms. He was not a frequent visitor, but if he was, his room would be the one where he'd liked the most.
Stopping in front of the dorm room Kenth paused and looked up at the door, making sure it was his room before sliding his ID across the registration port. The panel swung open by itself---much to Kenth's comfort---but the man did not move. Instead, he turned to Alex, his eyes seemed to be looking past the woman. The young doctor looked as if he was about to say something, but instead he waited for the woman's response.
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:29 pm
Alex was, oddly enough, comfortable in the silence. The chatty and lively part of her took backseat to a calm, at-ease persona that she rather liked. As the elevator stopped moving, it took her a few extra moments to tell her brain that it had stopped, as her dizziness took another lurch. Seeing Kenth stumble again, she snapped out of her own lack of well being and reached forward, hand halting just short of his elbow as he continued on his way. Damn, but that man was as stubborn as an ox! Definitely after her own heart.
She continued on as his silent companion, just behind, but there should he look over his shoulder. Alex stopped with him, glancing at the door briefly, the way already memorized in her sharp mind. Even in her half conscious state, her unique ability did not fail her.
As her eyes looked to Kenth, she was a little startled to see him facing her. A quick and easy smile lit her face, her heart suddenly beating faster, knowing that the doctor rarely minced words and spoke unless necessary. Alex wanted to say something, but she felt a little skittish, a little shy. Her hand extended to him in reflex, touching his forearm lightly in encouragement, not seeming to realize that she had reached out to him at all.
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:35 pm
Upon Alex's touch Kenth instinctively withdrew, bracing his one shoulder against the door frame. The electric monitor buzzed as silence took over, the two looking at each other, but not really looking. Kenth held onto this position for a long time, almost as if the two were comepeting in a staring contest. Eventually, however, the doctor lowered his head and gave off a little sigh that sounded exhausted. He turned and walked into the door, but not before leaving Alex with yet another solemn question.
"Will you come in?"
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