Shandra and Aren
Catalina - Night 1Aren nodded, concurring with the need to go back to the condo. Jet lag wore his body down, and his limbs were beginning to feel as though his very bones were made of lead. However, the euphoria from having his old best friend here had kept his spirits high enough that he'd thus far been able to sufficiently ignore the exhaustion, but as she was retreating to her own room, he figured that it was the perfect time for him to follow suit. A sigh escaped him, and he wondered how she intuitively knew that he'd been staying in this room. He reached for the door knob with a chuckle, a few octaves deeper than what she'd remember, "Seriously, Shandra... I can make it to my room without your assistance." The native teased, grinning the same lopsided grin that she'd known from Montana.
And then it dawned on him. Someone else's stuff might have been in the room. Oh no. This was just too good; he'd picked the room that she did. "Moahk... tell me something. Which room is yours?" He'd die if she had chosen this one; apparently all subtlety was lost on Old Man, and he'd wanted to make sure that Shandra's path and his would cross.
Wait. A fleeting thought that he'd brushed aside as nothing more than a prediction of what was to come had Shandra chosen to stay on the reservation, came to the forefront of his mind.
Red haired comrade will stand at the crossroads, on one path, the path that will choose which destiny belongs to you. He hadn't understood then. He had three years. Three extra years here. Where would that put him? Five years ago, he'd been so sure of the answer, and even now, his heart beat only to see the mountainous view of Montana.
But Shandra was back in his life. How many of the other things were true as well?
Never again would he question the Shaman's words of wisdom. Too bad she didn't say what he'd decide.
He blinked, forcing him out of his thoughts and to stare back at the red head he'd known so well in their youth. "Looks like we're roomies for the night." The playful tone was thick with implications, and he laughed right after, not able to hold himself to actually entertain that idea.
Shandra didn't say anything for a moment after that. The idea was...rather weird but it wasn't like she hasn't actually shared a house with him before. Shandra shrugged and motioned around, silently indicating that this was her room. She crossed the room and pulled open the closet where her two bags sat. She let the small backpack with her rollerskates in them fall in there too.
"Fine...we'll figure it out in the morning alright?" She tilted her head and then nodded to the bed. "Go ahead, get to sleep...I'm not tired so..."
Not that he needed to know that she didn't actually sleep, but oh well. He'd get the bed - she didn't need it. She just needed a bit of space to do whatever to keep her occupied till morning so she didn't disturb others.A rush of air escaped his nostrils as Shandra suggested he take the bed. There was no chance in hell that that would happen. A lady would get the bed; that's how it worked. "I'll find a new room at dawn." He said, ignoring for now her other comment.
"But before I even think of sleeping"
On the floor, missy, He raised an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth tipped upwards. "I owe you a story."
He sauntered in after her, and plopped down on the floor and took a deep breath so that he could get into the mode of re-creating. Telling one of the old tales passed down from generation to generation required a proper mindset. Aren shook out his hands, releasing himself from the grips of jitters so that his voice would come out like honey, smooth, luring.
"Once in the earliest of summers, when the weather proved too hot for anyone to sleep inside, a beautiful aakíí named Feather-woman slept outside in the high prairie grass..." He finished the story with a smile, as was called for. Poia had always been one of his favorites, and for good reason. It especially fit him now, where he was displaced, just like Feather-woman. She'd made his night, and Aren silently wondered if she realized how much he loved telling stories. Had he ever told her? He couldn't truthfully recall if he'd mentioned what role he wanted when he was of age. But she probably knew anyways; after all, his spirits always livened when someone asked him to tell one of the Blackfoot tales.
After
Poia was told, Aren sighed and shook his head with the slightest notion. "By the way... I adamantly refuse to take the bed; the floor suits me just fine, thanks."
Shandra listened politely, attentively even, as Peta continued on with his story. He seemed to throw himself into it, and it gave the story a little more life. The ideas were different from whatever she'd grown up with, but she was so fascinated by the differences. Maybe it was one of the reasons she'd always been good in some of the classes at the academy - even to the point where she was supposed to be tutoring Vallon, though that had gotten put off because of the whole hell thing.
But Peta seemed to have such a connection to the story, more connection than she'd ever felt for something like that. He was so passionate in his telling...smiling and frowning at the right time, his voice raising and lowering in certain points. Deepening and lightening. He really gave himself to the story. Maybe that's what had her so enthralled - that anyone can be that tangled up in the story.
After the story however, it was her turn to frown in the right spot. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at him, wondering just what it would take to get him up on that bed and asleep so she can start her quiet exercises. She'd have to wait till he was deep in REM till she actually started to make noises though.
"No...Peta, please just take the bed," Shandra started, her voice so uncertain sounded it really did seem like that had been a question. "I'm not going to need it..."
The redhead paused, her lips still down turned as her forehead creased. Should she tell him? -- She was sure by now he'd figured out that her eyes were glowing and that she was a mutant...but still. She...didn't like telling secrets about herself. But how big of a secret was it?
At the academy, probably not much of one since she didn't really take an insane amount of steps to hide it.
"I don't...actually sleep. So, just...take the bed?"Wait... She didn't sleep? What the hell? Even if she didn't though, she'd need a place to rest, relax. "No. Sleep or not, I'm taking the floor." His voice was persistent, unchangingly so. Had she forgotten that he had always proved to be the most person she'd ever known?
Even with five years past, she'd have to remember how he'd insisted on everything, all the time.
"Moahk... do you really think that just because you supposedly don't sleep that I'm going to say, 'Okay! I'll go ahead and take control of the bed tonight!'" He rolled his eyes heavenwards with the thought; that would never happen. "Fat chance, Moahk."
He grasped hold of his knees, crossed his legs at his ankles and rocked back and forth. He'd win this one, and she ought to know that. You couldn't out-stubborn a stubborn mule, and in this instance, he was the mule.
"Really...?" Shandra couldn't help but ask, raising an eyebrow at him rocking back and forth. "You...don't want to use the bed even if I'm not going to sleep?"
That idea seemed a little insane to her. He had no qualms about staying in the same room, but taking the bed was apparently off limits. It made her blink a few times - she was sure that if he had understood she wouldn't use it he would. Maybe a little unsure but still. Was he really going to let the bed go to waste?
"Come on Peta, just take the bed. Please?" the redhead tried again, her lips down turned.
She really didn't see why he thought that he needed to be stubborn and refuse. What good would him sleeping on the floor really do? What harm would it be for him just to take the comfortable place...?
"Really...I don't sleep. I was just going to kind of find something to do with my time," which meant read, study, and work out - oh, and maybe steal the bathroom and have a nice soak while everyone was asleep. He'd just realized that she'd been calling him Peta this whole time. If word got around to the others... and he was made fun of for it, he might have to sock her in her arm. Well, not really... but the image did cause a smile to play in his features. "Shandra... read my lips." He raised a finger to point at his mouth to emphasize his point. "I'm not taking the bed... and you can't call me 'Peta' anymore.. at least. Not in public."
When it was just them, he wouldn't care. But to have a repeat of that damned plane ride... not so much.
"You can do whatever you please. I'm still sleeping on the floor." There was no way she'd ever get him to change his mind, even if she thought her logic was flawless... it wouldn't work on him. Ways of the past? Yes, and he was stuck on them, thanks very much.
Shandra's nose crinkled up lightly, folding her arms. She let out a deep exhale of air as she shook her head. Peta was stubbornly clinging to being all chivalrous, which meant he was clinging to the idea of sleeping on the floor. It really didn't make sense to her, not in the least. But what could she do?
Other than try to move him...
Shandra gave a little "push" with her powers towards him, just to see how on center he really was.He fell backwards as something pushed him, but he quickly regained his poise before he came to know the floor as his landing pad. "Shandra..." Aren shook his head and crossed his arms dramatically across his chest.
"Give up... I'm not taking the bed. Not unless you give me another dance, to a song of my choice this time." That should be enough to keep her from forcing the issue of the bed any further.
And if it wasn't, well it was a win-win situation for him. His eye brow crawled up towards his hairline, waiting for the answer he expected to come: Have fun sleeping on the floor.
The redhead's nose didn't unwrinkled at the thought of him wanting to be bribed with another dance. Damn...she definitely wasn't going to repeat that exercise anytime soon. It had been embarrassing enough the first time and she didn't need him picking out a song either. Although...his music choices were bound to be safer that most stations right? - She wasn't willing to bet that.
"I'll find a way to get you into the bed sooner or later you know..."
But for now, she just started doing sit ups. Hey, it might look odd, but he was the one that didn't want to go to sleep...
