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Post by Poe on Jul 23, 2009 12:11:04 GMT -5
Short, sudden gasping breaths filled the small, empty classroom, the sound only accompanied by the staccato sound of a boy running down the hallway, away from the terror that filled the room. The heavy breathing seemed to fight to regain control of itself, and an angry groan filled the space. Once again, Kurtis Lowe's temper had been tested. And once again, he had failed. Sinking slowly into the chair behind the teacher's desk, Kurtis watched his shaking fists, refusing to look up at the mess of a room he had created. The skin covering his knuckles was bone white, his fingernails were digging into the palm of his fisted hand, and the muscles in his forearms rippled with pure adrenaline. He could feel the magic rush through his veins, feel it mix with his blood, rush to his head, pump his heart faster, and scream to be let out as the cycle of blood went around again, and again. Blue eyes closing to the world, Kurtis moaned again, trying to keep it in, the anger now ebbing away. Sadly, he couldn't even remember what had caused it. Probably something stupid. His lips closing around the sound in his throat, Kurt laid his head down upon the desk, the skin on his face pulled into a wince. He couldn't hold it in any longer.
The gift he had acquired two years ago at the expense of his best friend and the clique he was still sure he really belonged in was also a curse. And now it was flowing out of him like a river. He lay in silence for several minutes, the sound of running footsteps now long gone. Slowly, he opened his eyes, looking down at the vines that had swirled around the legs of the desk, creeping up to the surface, before stopping, and becoming wood. His shaking hands reached out to touch one of the wooden petals that had formed. He still hadn't looked up to see what other kind of damage he had made. Almost afraid to see the torn up room. Slowly, he picked his head up from its resting place, looking about the unused classroom, staring at the scattered desks, the two broken chairs that lay shattered on the floor, the books that had been thrown, and he squeezed his eyes shut, unfisting his hands to push himself up from the chair knowing that if he was caught here he could be in more trouble than he already was. Ever since his first temper tantrum, he'd been under high alert, been watched like a hawk, as if he was going to murder somebody. But the way his anger was getting worse, it wouldn't surprise him if he did. Running a hand down his face, letting it rest near his mouth, he glanced around the room once more before looking toward the door.
It wasn't like Kurtis to run away from things. He rarely did that, but he knew that if he was thrown out of Florence his father would throw him out of the family, and simply the thought of Lauren and Emma and Tripp and Chadwick kept him from facing things like this as a man would. He knew that any minute that little twit could be running to go get a teacher, to tattle and get him another detention. That a teacher could be walking down the hallway now, his arms crossed over that weak chest, and would be standing before this room, with Kurt trapped inside it, shaking his head at the seventeen year old boy. But really... The child had been asking for it. It had been a new recruit, he was only thirteen, and he said he knew more about their cause, more about magic than Kurtis Lowe knew. At first, he'd simply been amused, listened to the boy say what a liar Kurt was, that none of these so called Rebel girls had magic. At the tenth liar out of the boy's mouth the sneer that had been planted on his face had been washed away when Kurtis's smile vanished. The boy had realized he'd been pacing, his arms suddenly coming uncrossed from his chest. "I-I-I was just kidding, Mister Lowe. Just messin around, but you knew that... righ-right? We're still friends. Please, don't hurt me." His plea had come moments too late. And he been thrown across the room the chairs smashing against the wall on either side of him. It was the boy who had pushed the desks out of the way as he'd run, whimpering, knowing he'd have to face Kurtis again, sooner or later, if he really wanted to stay a part of this group.
Sighing, Kurtis stepped out of the room, leaning against the wall next to the door, loosening the tie around his neck, and pinching the bridge of his nose before studying the hallway silently.
ooc: Yay for suckage! =D
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MJ
New Member
Face it, Tiger...You just hit the jackpot.
Posts: 42
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Post by MJ on Jul 29, 2009 10:39:53 GMT -5
Thirteen paces forward, right turn, step to the left, avoid the column...
He navigated the hallways easily despite the fact that his nose was buried in the pages of a book. Jon had long since explored all of the West Wing- and quite a bit of the others, when he'd had the time. You never knew when you were going to have to run for it, after all, and foreknowledge of the surroundings made it much easier to shake off a pursuer. It was only logical, really. And it worked. Well, most of the time. There was the matter of actually escaping the other boys first, but, well, he'd also learned to run very quickly.
One pale hand reached up to adjust his glasses and Jon frowned at the page, trying to decipher the faded ink. It was the works of Homer in the original Greek, and being able to read it clearly would certainly have been an improvement. Of course, since it'd come from his father's shop, heaven only knew how long it had sat on the shelf before he'd rescued it.
The sound of heavy breathing broke him out of his self-imposed reverie, and Jon frowned slightly as he glanced up. He tucked the leather-bound tome under his arm in one smooth movement, brow furrowed. What, exactly, had been going on here? As the panting slowed and quieted he headed towards the source. Locks of hair had escaped their band and tangled in front of his eyes, but Jon was too intent on figuring out the source to bother.
Ah. Kurtis. At the sight of the other boy, the tension seemed to leak out of his frame, and the hint of a smile appeared on Jon's lips. Doubtless running away from another one of his...temper tantrums. He stayed in the shadow of the corner, just out of sight for a moment longer, watching the other male. His tie loosened his dangling, hair out of sorts...Jon passed a hand over his face and sighed quietly. He was not going to give into the urge to fix his hair and preen like some sort of silly female. It was only Kurtis. Right.
He cleared his throat, announcing his presence as he stepped out into the hallway. From here he could see the inside of the classroom, and Jon's lips twitched as he glanced from the upended furniture and back to Kurtis. One eyebrow rose- a skill he'd always been particularly fond of. "Have you been enjoying yourself, then?" he asked wryly, then leaned back on the wall across from the other male to give him a measuring look.
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Post by Poe on Jul 29, 2009 23:08:15 GMT -5
The boy had honestly not been expecting company in the form of Jon Harvey- actually, he hadn't been expecting company at all. At least, if he had gotten any he had been guessing to be graced with the presence of some teacher that he couldn't stand. Slowly, he looked over at Jon, his grey-blue eyes blinking lazily, barely able to comprehend the question that he had been presented with. The drain of magic from his body had taken a toll on his energy level, and his mind was lagging- his body physically tired. He blinked again, studying Jon, trying not to scowl at his friend's slightly smug expression. His own eyebrows rose in slight surprise, having noted the arched brow- a mastered art now it seemed. He glanced into the room behind him, wincing at the mess, and reaching for the brass handle, pulling it shut behind him, before finally deciding to answer the man before him- as if it had honestly taken him that long to comprehend the question. "I wouldn't call it... enjoying myself, exactly," he said slowly, letting the words sluggishly make their own way off of his tongue. "I think I sorta... lost my temper?" The way he spoke the last words made it sound like Kurtis wasn't really sure what had happened.
He pushed his hand through his hair, which was never a good sign, before shifting his weight and letting his feet slide out from under him, the floor dragging him down to where he could sit comfortably. He watched Jon curiously, studying him silently from his position on the floor. "So, are you running from some one today, or just taking a stroll with your nose in a book?" He didn't mean to sound rude, but the words were biting and short, and he glanced back at the door, wondering how much of the disaster Mister Harvey had seen and what he exactly thought of it. Color rose quickly onto his neck, circling the collar of his shirt, threatening to reach his cheeks at his embarrassment of what he had done. Kurtis Lowe didn't like losing control, but it happened too often and he was pretty much beyond any point of help. With a wide yawn he looked back to Jon. "Sorry," he muttered, his eyes flickering away from him in shame. "I really shouldn't take shit out on you. Pardon my French," he added, attempting a smirk and most likely failing.
"Ugh, am I missing a class, or is it free period, or what?" Kurtis asked, realizing for the first time that he had no clue what time it was and that he had no clue where he was actually supposed to be. Talk about irresponsible! He ran a hand down his face, the other keeping him propped up against the wall. His thumb and index finger rubbed his eyes, digging deep into them, and he blinked several times, trying to chase the sudden exhaustion away. All he needed was something in his stomach, or a quick nap- just something to get the energy back. Pffft. Or he could just suck it up.
ooc: Ohlawdy, I'm sorry, this sucks. D:
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MJ
New Member
Face it, Tiger...You just hit the jackpot.
Posts: 42
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Post by MJ on Jul 29, 2009 23:25:39 GMT -5
Jon wondered what, exactly, Kurtis had been doing- he seemed like a man half asleep, and he wondered if the other boy had managed to give himself a head injury whilst throwing furniture about. It might have just been the aftereffects of his tantrum- not exactly given to bouts of rage himself, Jon wasn't exactly sure what it felt like afterwards. Maybe it was a bit like a hangover, he mused with a barely-contained snort. Only without the pleasure of alcohol beforehand.
"You think you might have lost your temper."he repeated dryly, then shook his head. One hand crept up to tug at his collar. "I'd assumed that much was obvious." Cruel as it might have been to take advantage of Kurtis' befuddled state, he couldn't quite help himself.
He leaned awkwardly over the other male for a moment before crossing to sit next to Kurtis, a carefully measured distance between them. Despite the sharp tone, Jon softened his words, realizing that Kurtis was a bit more out of sorts than he thought. He hadn't known that the other boy could blush.
"Just a book in a dead language, as usual." He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, staring thoughtfully up at the ceiling. Perhaps, if he didn't meet Kurtis' eyes, they could keep this conversation from becoming too uncomfortable. "Don't worry about it." The blond snickered and shook his head, as though recalling an incident from the past. "I'm quite used to dealing with your shit."
Running one pale hand down the book's well-worn spine, he answered Kurtis a bit absently. "Well, we were going to have class, but the old man's sick. Free period, lucky enough for you." Jon had a habit of forgetting teachers' names, and so each merited an accurate- if occasionally unflattering- description. The leather tome was cool under his fingertips as he stroked it thoughtlessly, almost as though one might a favored pet.
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Post by Poe on Jul 30, 2009 20:09:33 GMT -5
A Man Named... KURTIS LOWEYou assumed?" Kurtis scoffed weakly. "Why would you assume that I lost my temper?" He asked, raising an eyebrow back at Jon. It was too bad that Jon had that mastered and Kurtis did not- it probably didn't look as impressive as poor Kurt would have hoped. He dropped the eyebrow, deciding it wasn't worth being made fun of by a dweeb again. "Besides," he muttered, "It really isn't my fault that the kid has no brain and decided to act like a punk." The words fell softly out of his mouth, and he dropped his head back against the wall again, staring up at the ceiling. He was sure the only reason Jon had assumed was because he'd seen the room, at the though, Kurtis's eyes traveled back to the closed door, eying it sorely before looking toward the boy again, waiting for his answer on what he was reading. "Ah, so just another book no one else has the time to read? That no one else can read, I should say," He corrected himself, grinning slightly. "Why would you want to read that... Isn't it the same as it would be in English?" He tilted his head to the side, letting it rest on his shoulder. "Yeah, you getting used to dealing with my shit isn't a good thing," Kurtis muttered, his grey eyes closing, hiding the world from view, still feeling exhaustion creep into his bones. "That just means I'm turning into the bullies you generally run from." His mouth twisted into an unhappy feature as he thought of that. "Which I honestly do not want to become," he added.
At the description of the teacher, and the news that he was sick and there would be no class, Kurtis laughed lightly, sighing in relief. "Good," he said, "I couldn't deal with getting up and dealing with all the pricks in there right now anyway." Not that Kurtis wasn't one of those so-called pricks... He ran a hand down his face, before rolling his head over to look at Jon, his eyes finally opening. "Okay, so tell me, honestly, how terrible do I look, right now? I have a feeling I look as bad as I feel- and that's not a good thing." He attempted a laugh, and ended up just rolling his eyes. "I need food. You haven't got any on you, have ya?" Kurtis was already planning his adventure with Jon, sneaking down into the kitchens to steal something to eat. You'd think the cooks would get used to it- since he happened to do it often enough. He was a growing boy- it wasn't his fault that he got hungry.
Kurtis sighed, expecting the worse about the food and his looks, and his shoulders tensed up when he heard distant footsteps, only relaxing when they faded away. "I'm gonna kill myself," he muttered. "If I get into trouble again for exploding on some kid again I'm outta here. I'm pretty sure they're sick of warning me about how a real man behaves." He ran his hand down his face, sighing, the blush having finally receded- his face still felt hot. His mind was racing as he thought of the best way to talk his way out of it if he did happen to get into trouble. "You didn't hear anyone talk about getting a chair thrown at them, did you?"
ooc: Sorry for suckage. D:
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MJ
New Member
Face it, Tiger...You just hit the jackpot.
Posts: 42
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Post by MJ on Jul 30, 2009 20:34:50 GMT -5
"I made an educated guess."he corrected dryly, quirking a single brow again as though to lord it over the other boy. He looked pointedly at the door of the trashed classroom. Somehow, Jon didn't think it likely that a wild animal had gotten in through the window. No, that was definitely human work.
Studiously ignoring the disparaging comment- best to not know, really, he didn't want to be considered an accomplice- the blond flipped the book open and ruffled through the well-worn pages, too fast to see. "Well, I don't have to rely on someone else's translation." His words were perhaps a bit too defensive. "All the English versions are different, but this way I can make my own interpretations of the text." Jon forced himself to stop before he could wax eloquent on the Greek language, realizing that he'd probably put Kurtis to sleep in his current state. He snapped the book shut and set it down on the floor next to him, then stretched long and slow. Who knew the floor could be so comfortable after aimless wanderings?
"You're not a bully." He assured the other boy in a soft voice. Then he cleared his throat and continued, "You have too many brain cells, hidden though they may be."
Kurtis' next comment had Jon adjusting his glasses uneasily. He glanced at the other boy quickly, then shrugged in a too-casual manner. "You look fine," he muttered. "It's one of your more irksome qualities." It was the truth. Kurtis had a somewhat annoying ability to pull off dishabille that Jon had never managed- in fact, the tousled hair and slightly flushed cheeks were, er, fairly fetching. Not that he'd ever admit that aloud.
"Nah, no food unless you plan to chow down on some paper." He'd fixed his gaze on the ceiling again, hands laced behind his head. A kitchen raid was fine by him, especially if they had some of those pasties left from yesterday. Jon sometimes wondered where all the food he ate went.
The somewhat bizarre question made Jon snicker, and he shook his head in a negative. "A chair? Honestly? And you wonder why I automatically assumed you'd lost your temper. But no, no wild exaggerations or boasts of survival." He might not have traveled in the higher social circles, but a rumor like that would spread like wildfire. Kurtis had gotten angry before, certainly, but he'd usually stuck to smaller objects. "So, what really set you off?"
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Post by Poe on Jul 30, 2009 21:12:31 GMT -5
A Man Named... KURTIS LOWEThe sound of fake snoring quickly ensued as Jon began to blabber on about translations and all that nonsense, Kurtis resting his hands on his stomach, letting the sound fill the hallway until Jon shut up, and he laughed slightly. "Sorry 'bout that," he said, grinning slightly. "It's just way too easy to tease you, honestly. And normally I'd listen to all that nonsense, but if you haven't noticed I'm exhausted. Threatening thirteen year olds really takes it out of you." He seemed to have lightened up about the whole torn up room thing, even though it was still a high possibility that he be kicked out of school for what he'd done. After all, they had to be getting tired of him. "Pffffft." He stretched out on the floor, laughing now. "Too many brain cells? That's funny." He glanced at his friend. "You have too many brain cells- it makes you an easy target because you think too much." He smirked. "If I had too many brain cells, I'd be able to read that mumbo-jumbo there, and I'd be able to keep my temper in check, which I am failing at miserably." He laughed again, shaking his head, his hand placed over his mouth in an attempt to hide his smirk. "Hidden? More like, hibernating and never wanting to come out."
You promise I look fine, Jon?" Kurtis asked, figuring he could trust Jon's word no matter would. He hardly seemed to notice the boy's slight awkwardness. "Ha, irksome quality? I have no such thing as a negative quality. I'm simply... perfect," he muttered, trying not to laugh at the failure of his last statement. "And I don't see how always being able to look good is a bad quality," he added, putting his nose in the air with a sniff, starting to feel slightly more awake. "I'm not a Jon-a-saraus, I don't eat paper," Kurtis said, his joke obviously weak. "But if I don't get something in my stomach in a few moments I'm going to fall over and faint. And someone would need to get me back to my room- and I can't exactly force you to drag me there once I'm out cold, now can I?" He muttered something under his breath, pushed a hand through his hair in slight desperation, and then put his hands flat on the ground to push himself up. Kurtis staggered upright for a moment, leaning against the wall as the world spun from getting up to fast. Shaking his head, he looked over at Jon. "We're sneaking over to the kitchens. Maybe we can spy out a nice girl for you on our way, hm?" He grinned slightly, "And if not, we'll find one of those pastie things you like so much last night."
Uhm, it was two chairs, actually... And I'm not really proud of that. It just happened." He snorted, leaning one hand against the wall for support, looking down at Jon and waiting for him to get off of his lazy arse. "I doubt it would be a boast of survival, that kid was scared shitless..." He shrugged, knowing that it was really the fear of being usurped by a youngin, but also the fact that he'd been called an idiot so many times. "Jon, only people that know they are smart can stand being called stupid about twenty-five times... And I don't like standing around letting the kid spout off." There was more to it than that, there always was, but he would let Jon dig it out of him himself, make him work some for the gossip he wanted. [/size]
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MJ
New Member
Face it, Tiger...You just hit the jackpot.
Posts: 42
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Post by MJ on Jul 30, 2009 21:39:48 GMT -5
Jon rolled his eyes in an exaggerated fashion, then irritably brushed his hair out of the way. It was getting out of hand again- the bit of string he'd tied it with was obviously not doing the job. He'd have tried a ribbon if it didn't make him look absolutely ridiculous- ah, right. Kurtis was talking. He caught the last sentence and shook his head, a crooked grin on his lips. "I wouldn't know. I was usually the thirteen year old in question."
At least the other boy seemed to be recovering a bit from the fog of whatever-it-was. Jon just chuckled along with him. "Well, too many brain cells to be a common thug. Not much more, mind you. Being smart is my job, don't you worry. You're the one who throws furniture." Realizing he'd brought them back around to Kurtis' fit, he tugged at his collar and fell into silence.
And then he began to blush. It was not like Kurtis' blush- this spread from Jon's collar up to his cheekbones, red as a tomato and all-too-obvious on his pale features. It felt a bit like his face was on fire. He adjusted his glasses again, licked his lips. But Kurtis was just so oblivious. Had he not known any better, he'd have thought the other boy was deliberately taunting him. Yes, you look fine. Amazing. Perfect indeed. And I do want to drag you back to your room, but definitely not while you're unconscious. These thoughts did not make controlling his blush any easier. Jon settled for staring fixedly at the wall across from them and spoke as quickly as possible.
"Yes, yes, you're fine. Vanity is a sin, you know. Why don't we just head off to the kitchens, then, hate to have you swooning like some girl..." He got to his feet with a bit more grace than Kurtis, then belatedly reached down for his book. The other male seemed a bit unsteady on his feet, but Jon knew better than to offer help. He responded a bit absently. "If you're doing the spying, I'd probably loathe her. I'll stick to my baked goods, thanks."
He started off towards the kitchens without a conscious decision to do so, waiting for Kurtis to catch up. "Two chairs." he muttered, then snorted. "I insult your intelligence all the time," he shot over his shoulder. "You're telling me a little kid got to you when I couldn't? Damn. He must've hit some buttons." Yes, but which ones? Kurtis was being painfully stubborn about the whole thing. Jon liked tales, whether they were written down or acted out. And this one was developing all around him.
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Post by Poe on Aug 2, 2009 17:50:12 GMT -5
A Man Named... KURTIS LOWEKurtis watched the boy push his very girl-like hair out of his eyes, shaking his head slightly. If you ever wanted be completely cruel to the kid, you'd take a scissors to his head and sheer off his long, dark hair. Kurtis would actually be interested to see Jon with a short head of hair, cropped and out of his eyes- that would at least begin to stop the angry horde of bullies somewhat. But he knew part of Jon's reasoning to keeping it and he wasn't going to argue with the kid- he'd tried that too many times before. Still, he said hesitantly. "Time for a haircut?" A laugh escaped his lips, and he shrugged. "You could have dumbed yourself down some, then you wouldn't always have been the prime choice for the punching bag around here. But you've got a point, you're the wrong person to talk to about that..." He made a face, grinning slightly. "But still. You should know that calling someone stupid or an idiot is never, ever smart..." He glanced at his friend. "Or at least I hope you know that." Kurtis snorted, glancing at him. "Doesn't the common thug throw furniture? Or am I in the wrong train of thought?" He rose an eyebrow, figuring that he might as well let Jon boast that he could do that better than the leader of the Elite, who should probably have that move down with how many crazy stories he gets from the new recruits. "I'm glad you're the smart one. Being smart sounds like it takes way too much work to me... I'd much rather be the semi-smart one that doesn't go about reading books in dead languages so he can understand the book without help." Kurt rolled his eyes, smirking.
Shocked by the deep red color that had suddenly come to his friend's features, Kurtis did a double take, watching the blush rise higher onto his cheek bones, and Kurtis couldn't help but stare. "Uhm, you okay?" he asked, wondering what he had exactly said to embarrass Jon so. He hadn't meant to- he knew nothing of Jon's feelings for him, and he really didn't want to know... He enjoyed being only friends. He reviewed the words that he had said, hoping to figure it out so he could apologize. But when he came up blank, he sighed, giving up, figuring Jon would tell him when he was ready- if that ever even happened. And then the words started to spill out of him like there was no tomorrow and he knew something was up- the way he stared at the wall across from him gave it away, but Kurtis still refused to say anything. "I'm not vain," he muttered under his breath, having to pull his eyes away from his reflection in the glass of a painting across the hall, perfectly chastised. "Not caring about what you look like is unattractive, so I guess I'd rather be sinful than ugly..." He shrugged, knowing if his teachers heard him say this they'd grab him by the ear and drag him off to the headmaster's office for a thorough beating of the backside- you did not say something like that in a school like this. At least, not if you didn't mind getting into trouble. But being Kurtis, he loathed it.
Are you saying I have bad taste in women?" The idea offended the seventeen year old boy immensely. "I have wonderful taste, thank you very much. You just need to open your eyes and see." It just occurred to him that he'd never heard of his friend mentioning a young woman of interest. "Pastries don't give you love, Jon," Kurtis warned as he uneasily made his way toward the stairs, shaking his head. "And just to spite you, I'm going to find you a nice lass, and you'll like one of the ones I pick out for you if it's the last thing I do..." Ah, a new personal vow. That's a new one to add to the list.
Yes, two chairs, and yes, the child knew how to press buttons. You could seriously use some lessons from him, Jon, because the longer I stick around you the less your jokes bruise my ego." He chuckled slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "But that's because it was mostly about girls and power-" ah, but what kind of power. It had taken Kurtis several minutes to find the right word to explain the magic without giving it away. He was still sure that everyone though The Elite were just a bunch of snot-nosed brats that wanted to be a big government wig someday... He was positive that no one knew about the magic that they all lusted after, or the fact that Kurtis wanted to rule the world... "Does the two chairs really surprise you?" He called up to his friend, hobbling down the stairs, a hand on the banister. He skipped the last step looking at his friend, hands tucked into his pockets, feeling a bit more steady on his feet. "It doesn't surprise me..."
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MJ
New Member
Face it, Tiger...You just hit the jackpot.
Posts: 42
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Post by MJ on Aug 3, 2009 20:46:15 GMT -5
A haircut?
Jon, who had been walking with fingertips outstretched, trailing down the wall, suddenly stilled. There was an unusual stiffness in his shoulders, a tension in his jaw. He knew Kurtis was trying to be delicate about the matter- he'd heard all the arguments before, and they made sense, but- "No." It was quiet but forceful, iron in his tone. He seemed to realise that he was overreacting, at least in his friend's eyes, and made an attempt to soften his words. "Perhaps a trim. I am starting to feel a bit like a sheepdog." Jon cleared his throat, adapting a less defensive posture as he continued moving forward.
"Well, the lads need someone to take out their misplaced aggression on. Goodness knows I've had the practice," he said in a lofty tone. "I don't call them names. They're the ones making their pityful insults. I just make grunts of pain. I think it annoys them." Bullies never could stand being ignored. Half the time they gave up, but then, the rest of the time they only got more furious. Most of the boys at Florence were the latter sort. He snorted and threw the other boy a bemused glance, earlier anger apparently forgotten. "The common thug," he corrected, "Throws people about, not inanimate objects. It's a common misconception." By which he meant that Kurtis had him there, but he wasn't going to admit being caught in a mis-step.
He ran a hand through his hair absently, wondering if he ought to start braiding it, or if that was too horrendously female. "Oh, but being smart does have some rewards. There are some marvelous oaths in here. I can curse at the professors in dead languages and they applaud my scholarship. It's a bit of a hobby, really." Jon was smirking a bit. He wasn't one for outright rebellion, but a bit of entertainment brightened up any lecture.
He shot Kurtis a skeptical look, brow quirked. "Not vain. Right." he drawled, then shook his head. He himself hadn't had much time for that nonsense- except for in Kurtis' presence, apparently. The urge to preen was a strong one. "I'm saying you don't have taste." he agreed with a nod. "Because you take any girl that crosses your path, so you certainly can't be any kid of particular." The blond tried to supress a wince at Kurtis' promise. Oh, that would be cruel indeed. To have the boy he liked pick him out a girl- fate was having a fine time with him today. He only hoped the other would forget this promise like so many others.
"Power," he mused aloud. "Yes, I suppose that would do it. A bit bland, though. I was hoping for a few more details. As to the chairs- a couch wouldn't have surprised me, I'm beginning to think." Jon paused at the top of the stairs, suddenly struck with a strong- and inexplicable- whim to slide down the banister. He hesitated with a hand on the smooth wood, then mentally snorted. Hanging about with Kurtis was clearly affecting his mind, he decided as he scurried down the stairs.
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Post by Poe on Aug 3, 2009 22:11:48 GMT -5
A Man Named... KURTIS LOWEA wince spread itself across Kurtis's features at his friends response to the idea of a hair cut. He hadn't meant to offend him, or anger him in any way, and he knew that it was a lost cause to bring it up. "Sorry," he mumbled, rubbing his neck, "That was dumb of me to bring it up..." Boy, he should learn when it was polite and not polite to open his big, fat mouth. Running a hand through his hair, Kurtis waited until his friends posture relaxed and he began to walk again to move as well. He laughed very softly at his remark about looking like a sheepdog, but decided that no further comments of his own were actually necessary. Kurtis rolled his eyes at Jon's remark. "They don't need to take their anger out on you, they know that. You just let them." He shook his head, still behind his friend as he hobbled along down the hallway, feeling incredibly weak still. Food should help though, and he couldn't help but dream about the many delicious treats that they had down in the kitchen, cooking up for tonights dinner... Oh, if his teachers could see him now, he was sure he'd be scolded for attempting to spoil his appetite- but wouldn't you eat if you were a growing boy? He hoped that if they were caught the teachers would lean toward that in their favor... "Well, maybe next time someone is hurting you, you could disguise the grunt of pain as... nothing? Then they might stop- if you play dead... Like a sheepdog," he added, slightly under his breath, a smirk playing around the corners of his lips.
Mmhm, are you sure I didn't just catch you on a mistake... about common thugs? I have been known to throw people around too, you know?" He laughed slightly, still grinning, elated that he'd caught the so-called "smart friend" in an error of words. He walked along, waiting for some sort of debate to tear him up, to make him realize that it was actually he who was wrong, and shook his head when the boy went on again about dead languages. "Ah, the rebel is coming out of you, Jon. Pretty soon you'll find yourself in the Studs..." Kurtis snickered. "One of these days, you're going to say something absolutely horrendous and the teacher will ask you to stay after class- and I bet it'll be that new Literature teacher here. I've heard he's an absolute horror. I've yet to take his class myself. I've somehow wiggled my way out of it..." And thank god for that, he really had heard that Toni Wilkes was an absolute evil man. He had given out several detentions and was quite strict. Kurtis probably wouldn't get along very well with him. Oh, if only he knew what kind of power Toni could offer him... He'd probably change his tune as quickly as possible. But for now, he was still the school boy trying to get away from his teacher, hiding in empty classrooms during lessons, ducking into doorways when the man walked by, and generally skulking about looking for something else to do.
I do not take any girl that walks in front of me," Kurtis shot back indignantly. "And I have very good taste, thank you very much. Like I said, you just need to be able to see. I am going to find you a girl," He said, huffing. "Just you wait and see." Now that Jon had really offended poor Kurtis, he was in for his own personal hell while Kurtis decided to hunt. He was sure he could dig up a genuine girl for the poor guy. And if he couldn't, he'd give in and tell Jon that he probably really does have horrible taste (even though he knows that he doesn't...). Kurtis watched his friend muse about power, not sure how much he could tell him and how much he couldn't. "If was really stupid of me," he said at last, shaking his head. "I shoulda just sent him away and kept my temper, but when a thirteen year old spouts off to me that way... I just can't take it. What more could you want in details?" He has been awfully lucky that he'd never gone off on one of his brothers and sisters like that- then it wouldn't matter how he acted in school, his father would still hate him.
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MJ
New Member
Face it, Tiger...You just hit the jackpot.
Posts: 42
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Post by MJ on Aug 5, 2009 20:21:24 GMT -5
His gaze dropped to the well-worn floorboards. "S'not your fault." the thin male muttered with a shrug. He forgave Kurtis all too easily- it wouldn't do to alienate one of his few friends, after all, and he knew the subject was always a touchy one. Perhaps he had overreacted a bit. But then, they were men- talking about feelings and sensitive topics was indisputably taboo. Jon had learned that one early on. Kurtis seemed all too ready to drop the matter, and he went along gladly.
The other male's statement earned him a look of blatant disbelief. "I let them?" he repeated incredulously. Did Kurtis honestly think that? It was a little...bewildering. But then, he probably had no idea what it was like. Being bullied was a foreign concept to the leader of the Elite. "You think I enjoy getting beaten to within an inch of my life? Like that's how I get my kicks? Or are you suggesting I fight them off with my overwhelming strength?" His tone practically oozed sarcasm now, and Jon made a mocking pose to show off the virtually non-existent muscles in his upper arms. Then he stopped, really looking at Kurtis for a moment. The eyebrow rose again.
"You sure you're alright?" He looked like he was going to fall over at any moment, and Jon couldn't resist an offer of help, however scathing. "Perhaps I and my mighty strength can assist you, young maiden." And that was not a subconscious attempt to get his hands on Kurtis, dammit. It was only a logical conclusion. And now he was getting defensive in his own head. Jon gave a sharp sigh and derailed that train of thought before it got even more convoluted.
He slowed to wait for Kurtis, matching his pace to the other's, and chuckled quietly. One hand waved in a dismissive gesture. He'd been caught, sure enough. He should've known better than to think Kurtis would let that pass. "You obviously misheard me. I don't make mistakes about such matters." The last resort- deny, deny, deny, and make counter accusations. "Perhaps all this talk of women has clouded your thought process." Well, that was something Jon could never be accused of, at least. His shoulders rose and fell in an expressive shrug. "Well, if he teaches Literature well, I couldn't care less. I've missed a few as well- not because I am a hooligan like yourself," this smile was a little wry and self-mocking, not the least because he'd just used the word hooligan. "But because I've been tutoring. All the same, I have heard the horror stories."
It would appear he'd miscalculated. Kurtis was insulted now, and he'd actually put some effort into finding Jon a girl. The very thought made him lose what remained of his appetite. "You know, it's alright, really." he said hastily. "Wouldn't want to, erm, take anyone of the market. Or something. Too busy. More girls for you or something." The entrance to the kitchens loomed at the end of the corridor, and the blond relaxed visibly at the sight. It wasn't the first time he'd been pleased by the glimpse of those wooden doors, but never had he been quite so relieved. Glorious distraction! "And would you look at that, we're nearly there. As to details- oh, I don't know. Names, gory details, blood spatters. Sensation, really."
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Post by Poe on Aug 5, 2009 20:54:59 GMT -5
A Man Named... KURTIS LOWEKurtis, rather rudely, chose to not respond to Jon's "S'not" response, figuring he could only make it worse by offering him a tissue, and that he was a man and men just didn't talk about things like this... So he remained silent, continuing to push himself down the hallway, staring at the floor so he could measure his steps and hopefully not stumble. His gaze jerked up though at Jon's indignant response, and he knew, right away, that he had chosen the wrong words for something and now he was going to pay the price by feeling bad. "Okay, okay, maybe... You letting them was the wrong word choice," he said slowly, pushing a hand down his face, trying to think of how he could claw his way out of this mess. He sighed, the air leaving his lungs in a sharp whoosh. "No, Jonny," Kurtis began soothingly, still fighting for words as he pulled out Jon's pet-name, "I do not think you enjoy it at all. I didn't mean it like that... I just-" Kurtis stopped himself. Bringing up another sore subject of Jon's apparent... weakness wouldn't be a smart topic for the two, and he watched in slight amusement as Jon pulled out the eyebrow move again before striking a pose. He really was just skin and bones, wasn't he? Ah, well. If it was his choice...
I'm fine, I promise," [/color] he said as he pitched forward, catching himself by grabbing the banister. Hesitantly, he straightened himself, looking down at his shaking hands and listening to his stomach gurgle, roar as it complained about its lack of nourishment. "I just need something to eat. But..." He did look at Jon, eyes narrowed slightly. "As much as I probably do need your help, I don't want to end up fainting and crushing you under my massive girth..." He sighed, waving Jon off, appreciating the offer of help, though. It had been very kind, especially since Kurtis had been so rude moments before. He laughed shortly, the sound echoing down the hallway, and he looked at Jon. "Yes, I just misheard you, which might make sense since I'm so out of it today... You never know... And when are you ever wrong, right?" Kurtis asked, sarcasm oozing out his voice, now. And he enjoyed it. Teasing Jon seemed to be becoming a new hobby of his. "Talk of women will not cloud my thought process, silly. They only make me think more clearly. Which is why you need one, so you're even smarter!" He knew a few Heartbreakers that would most likely be glad to assist this young man in... thinking more clearly. Salem Thatchor to be one of them. And she still owed him a hat from his days as a Handsome Eye. It interested him that Jon didn't talk about those days... Or at least ask about them- you'd think he'd want to know why he left the empowered clique so easily. Especially since he wasn't granted a position of authority in The Elite right away. It really wasn't like Kurtis... To back out. Kurtis quietly ignored the talk of teachers, bored with it. He didn't enjoy literature, so he didn't enjoy talking about it or talking about who taught it... With appraising eyes, Kurtis watched while his friend hurried to get Kurtis to back off on picking him out a lady, and he rose both eyebrows in the conclusion he'd suddenly come up with. "You must already have your eye on some one, eh? Is that why you want me to butt out so badly? Grinning widely, Kurtis laughed softly. "I never would have guessed, who is it? Or won't you tell me? And there he went, trying to change the subject on him. He narrowed his eyes, looking at the kitchen door and then back at Jon. "If you tell me who you're infatuated with, I'll tell you who I threw the chair at and why exactly, even if you won't believe me," he said slowly. [/size][/center]
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MJ
New Member
Face it, Tiger...You just hit the jackpot.
Posts: 42
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Post by MJ on Aug 6, 2009 22:07:26 GMT -5
He was probably overreacting again. Jon let out a slow breath and ran a hand through his hair. Of course Kurtis hadn't meant it that way; he was just keyed up and ready to take offense at the slightest thing. The use of the pet name had the desired effect. His shoulders slumped, all anger gone from his posture in a rush. "I know you didn't." he said wearily. "I guess I'm just being an oversensitive arse today, don't mind me." The other boy just had a tendency to push his buttons, however inadvertently. Things were getting more tense by the moment, weren't they? Ah well. Perhaps if they both pretended it hadn't happened...
"Fine indeed." he drawled, watching Kurtis hesitantly. Jon bit his lip. The other boy had a point- though the blond was taller (barely) Kurtis was a great deal more muscled, and probably heavier. And now he felt useless as well as stupid. Just spectacular. He settled for giving him a fondly exasperated glance before setting off once more down the hallway, though at a slower pace. They'd reach the kitchen soon enough.
Marvelous. It seemed that this time he'd scrape by without too much taunting. "I'm never wrong, of course." he said briskly, the smile playing across his lips quickly drooping as the conversation turned back to girls. "I'm smart enough now, thanks." he said dryly. Bad enough that he was in the Elite now- doubtless in the days before he'd left the Handsome Eyes (been kicked out? Jon had never quite gotten the details) he'd been even worse with women. He'd long since decided that he didn't really want to know, and pretended quite convincingly that Kurtis had always been one of the Elite. It was an easy enough lie.
How could someone so oblivious at times jump to such accurate conclusions? Jon's eyes widened in astonishment at the other boy's proclamation, and the furious blush raging over his features was enough to prove Kurtis right, whatever pretty lies he might tell now. He half considered trying anyway-
No. Something snapped inside of him, a sudden conclusion, internal epiphany. He'd had enough of all this stupid double talk and shame. He would tell Kurtis the truth- all right, maybe not the whole truth, but the gender bit- and if the other boy hated him, well, that was that. At least he'd have gotten it off his chest. It had to come out eventually, and who better to tell than his best friend, right? Jon swallowed and drew himself up, bracing as though for a blow. He licked lips that had suddenly gone dry.
"The thing is, the person I, I like, is-" A boy. Two words. Two simple, short words. He'd been speaking english all his life, was unusually verbose for a lad his age. So why was it so blasted hard to say these two words? Jon opened and shut his mouth silently for a moment, gaping like a fish, then seemed to crumple, leaning back against the closed kitchen door. His face went still as a mask. "Entirely unsuitable." he finished lamely, ranting silently at himself. Damn, but I am a coward.
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Post by Poe on Aug 6, 2009 22:51:35 GMT -5
A Man Named... KURTIS LOWEEh... You're not being an arse, or oversensitive today, Jonny," Kurtis said cheerily, deciding to not worry about the sensitive things that men weren't supposed to worry about- that's why they were men, right? Right. He let out a deep breath, closing his eyes for a minute, still feeling the fatigue, his stomach gurgling again. He remained silent, zoning out as he meditated on what food he was going to pick out once they reached the kitchen, he didn't mean to be rude, but there wasn't too much room for conversation anyway, and he didn't want to be dumb and say something else that just shattered his best friend's (outsideofLouwhowasinTheElite.......) feelings... He sighed, thinking of the different fruits and pies and breads that he wanted to gorge on at that exact moment, and then, with a full stomach, he was going to go back to his room, curl up in bed with a book and read himself to sleep. Though a common misconception, he didn't hate all reading, and actually enjoyed it when he was in the mood to fall asleep to a fascinating story.
Kurtis practically stopped dead when Jon began to tell him who he liked, though he was tripping over his words, some. He rarely got this kind of personal information out of his friend, and he turned on him, watching him carefully. "Well, come on, now, out with it," he said, gesturing with his hands for Jon to continue when he hesitated, probably gathering the courage to say the lucky lady's name out loud. "Ugh... Why can't you just say it?" Kurtis asked in an aggravated tone with Jon failed to dish out the juicy information, only telling him that the relationship would be impossible. "My friend, are you saying that the girl you speak of is impossible for you to talk to... or just... unsuitable as in she's low class or super high class? Because you know, nothing is impossible for me... If you want something, I promise you, I can help you get it. Or her." He smirked lightly, watching his friend for a reaction, feeling down himself at his friend's crushed appearance. He walked over to him, taking him by the shoulder, hunger driving him to pull him off the kitchen door and haul him into the room when he heard footsteps of someone down the hall. He'd have no chance of getting it out of Jon with a teacher present... So he might as well take advantage of the well placed kitchen...
The kitchen was homey and warm, lit by a fire on either end of the room, the smells of dinner wafting through the room, the three cooks bustling around the stoves, the cutting boards, and the sinks, making their meal. They barely looked up when Kurtis waltzed in with his guest- he was obviously a regular... He pointed to a stool for Jon to sit down at while Kurtis walked casually through the kitchen toward the pantry, pulling out bread, cheese, creamy milk, and several apples. He piled it onto a tray with plates and glasses that he'd pulled down already. Walking back over to Jon, dancing between the cooks, he set the food out, looking at him. "Okay, we're in the ears of friends now. So dish," he said, intent on getting the answer.
ooc: SUCKINESS. D: I sorry. I'm not worthy of your greatness.
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