A Foreigner in the Facility...?

[TESLA]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/AugustMiddle.png] ...I reminisce. It had been over a week since the incident with Xaen occurred. August’s eye had healed mostly, thought there was still a faint tint to his skin. His dad kept a constant, watchful eye on him, studying his every move. August grew cold to the concerned looks from his sisters. They often tried to comfort him, but he’d always push them away. His only place of solstice was his room, and he could hardly handle being in there. His dad tried to talk to him many times, but August usually brushed him off. He managed to sit him down though, tell him the full moon was drastically approaching, and they’d need to secure the farm soon. He always just ignored the whole Farmer’s Folklore thing. He’d seen Xaen at school many times, and would often find himself staring at her. Her eyes met his with a harsh, cold stare every time, so he eventually numbed his urges and kept away from her entirely. The day before, while cleaning out his binder, he had found a note from Xaen from a while ago. He felt incredibly ill with guilt, enough to cause him to go home. He hardly ate, as well, but yet he cooked every meal of the day for his family to keep his mind off things. He also spent most of his time helping to prepare at the farm. Otherwise he was in his room, drawing or, most commonly, lying curled up in his bed, staring into space. As his mind wandered, it’d always latch onto thoughts of Xaen. This particular day, August was lying on his bed as usual, earphones jammed into his ears. As creepy as he felt, no matter, he always found comfort when he was clinging to reminders of Xaen. Including the pillow she hugged so tightly, though her scent had faded away. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door, more like a pounding. He drowned it out, until suddenly a loud, alarming bang and a crash, followed by the stomping of feet and the slamming of a door. He heard Rosie squeal and Caedy try and silence her, calling out his name, voice full of panic. He was instantly on his feet, nearly ripping his door off its hinges as he swung it open to see their front door kicked in brutally, lying on the floor. Someone was in the… bathroom?

[DA VINCI~]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/XaenMiddle-1.png] It was a pale afternoon, the sun was hidden by clouds that held promise for rain. Shadows cascaded down the hills that separated wilderness from civilization. Roads that were already wet with the season's sludge were doomed to become muddy. Any person who hadn't already taken heed of these signs were hastily heading home anyways. Xaen dragged her heels purposely as she walked; gathering sludge and kicking it with every step, eyes down, hood up. Her mind was too preoccupied to even notice the fog rolling in. It didn't matter, though, she knew this road by heart as it was. Despite the many tries of her senses, nothing made its way to her brain but the urge to move forward. Soon enough, she began unconsciously walking on the path to August's house. It was unbearable, really. The moment she seemed happy with anything, anywhere- anyone... she'd slip up and end up watching as it was taken away from her. It was almost a week since she found out the reason for August's absence in school; that she found out that it was her doings that caused him to get beaten up. She was stupid enough to try to confront him about- with socializing as her weakest skill and emotions as her weakest front she failed and ended up pushing both of them further apart. Then came that same instinct- the feeling of numbness, and then the trait that she knew too well. She forced herself forward once more, and in turn, transferred the anger from herself towards August. Cold looks would come his way any time their eyes 'accidentally' met. She would purposefully shove passed him as she walked by until finally she ignored him altogether. Suddenly, Xaen felt droplets of water fall upon the unprotected front of her face. She pulled down her hood and reveled in the cold feeling of the fog and the angry pinpricks of the rain. Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she trudged on through the rain, watching as unlucky joggers or passerby's would pop out of the mist only to disappear behind her. Eventually, the sightings would grow less as Xaen entered a more rural part of town. Xaen sighed impatiently and began to actually account for her surroundings. With the fog impairing her sight and her sense of smell handicapped by the rain, she was left with only instinct that told her to take a left. Her impatience grew as she began to bounce in her steps, biting her lip nervously as her eyes darted around for any familiar landmark. Xaen felt her blood grow cold as she realized that she was in August's neighborhood, only so many steps away from his house. Xaen began to roll on the balls of her feet, looking around now desperately for any other house but his. She felt a pressure in her abdomen that simply meant doom unless she could make it to a bathroom. The fog was eventually absorbed by the clouds as the strength of the mist transferred into rain. The feeling of the raindrops sliding quickly down her nose only assisted in Xaen's growing nerves. Suddenly her senses seemed stronger, the sounds of each and every drop of rain making contact with the ground was heard. She had no choice... Xaen looked forward, electric blue eyes locking in on her target. "... AUUUGUUST!" She yelled frantically as she ran for his door, knocking loudly and quickly. Her legs nearly bucked underneath her as she whimpered helplessly behind the mahogany that separated her from her destination. She bounced up and down erratically, biting her lip and desperately knocking once more. A minute passed and Xaen decided that she simply couldn't wait any longer. Xaen slammed her shoulder hopelessly into the door, but still no answer. The wind howled at her as she nearly crumpled in desperacy until she realized what she had to do. Stepping back, Xaen brought her leg up and madly thrust her foot into the door, effectively throwing it off its hinges and sending it to the ground with a loud BANG. Xaen shot straight through the hallway. Hand nearly ripping off the doorknob as she burst her way into the bathroom. With a slam, she shut the door. Drying her hands on her pants, Xaen turned off the tap and lazily walked towards the bathroom's exit, a relieved and satisfied expression resting on her face. As she opened the door however, she froze. In front of her stood August. An incredulous and absolutely disbelieving look on his face. "... I can explain."

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[TESLA]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/AugustMiddle.png] ... I right my wrongs. ”So, basically, you’re telling me that you kicked down my front door,” he said the words with exaggerated emphasis, ”…so you could take a shit in my bathroom?” August shook his head in disbelief, grasping this scenario. He gazed at Xaen and sighed, then forcefully grabbed her wrist, turning and briskly dragging her to his room. Of course, she resisted, but he only tightened his grip and pulled harder. He closed the door behind them, then, without looking to see what Xaen’s reaction was, he slinked to the other side of the room. He turned around, leaning against his desk, palms resting on the edges. He allowed his eyes to trail up to Xaen, who was now sitting awkwardly on his bed. Her odd eyes were wandering when they caught his. His jaw was clenched, porcelain face hardened. By his posture, he probably looked rather flustered, and he was. But not at Xaen; he was mad at himself. He sighed heavily, his face and eyes like a window, his unconscious way of expressing himself – completely full of mixed emotions. He didn’t know how to react to the situation at all. He wanted to run over to Xaen and hug her, but he couldn’t find the courage. He was completely lost. WHAT CHOICE WOULD HE--?!

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[DA VINCI~]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/XaenMiddle-1.png] "Well... piss, really," Xaen said, gesturing her hands as if this was an everyday occurrence for her. She risked a glance towards August, biting her lip at the utter disbelief she saw. She opened her mouth to suggest that she help nail the door back on its hinges, the breeze from the gap making her shiver and pull her jacket closer. Before she could say anything however, August suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Hey!" She exclaimed in alarm, August only tightened his grip and half-dragged her to his room. For a second, she contemplated punching him off until he shut the door behind them and promptly let go to lean on desk- watching her. Xaen shook her hand slightly, knowing that there would probably be a bruise later. Her blue eyes surveyed his room before going to sit on her fancied piece of furniture- August's bed. She had to resist the urge to delve into the softness and instead awkwardly half-squatted and half-sat on the edge, hair and clothes still wet from the rain. After sitting like that, she decided against sitting and stood up instead, pulling her jacket closer and collecting her hair to one side of her neck. Xaen held back a shiver as she caught August's eye. His face was tense and his posture rigid. Xaen swayed from side to side on her feet, contemplating how to break the ice before meeting his glare once more. "So I uh... like those animal soaps you got 'goin in there," she said, cracking a grin.

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[TESLA]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/AugustMiddle.png] ...I find joy again. August’s face fell some when Xaen stood, his breaths somewhat ragged. His stomach felt like it was twisting and flipping about, causing him to be very uncomfortable, fidgeting some. His breaths paced between short and deep; he could feel cold sweat forming on his back, neck and forehead. ”So I uh… like those animal soaps you’ve got goin’ on in there.” Her choice of conversation-starters was too much. His face cracked into a grin, a deep, hearty chuckle rolling from within his chest, which heaved as he laughed. He curled over some, hands gripping the desk so he wouldn’t fall forward. As he straightened himself up again, he was still grinning helplessly. Face red, his grin faded some, yet he still couldn’t stop smiling. His eyes fell on Xaen, and he laughed again, only more out of embarrassment this time. He stared at her with softness, wishing he could say just how grateful he was for her to be there at that moment.

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[DA VINCI~]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/XaenMiddle-1.png] Xaen laughed along with August, a rare sight deluted of sarcasm. He caught her eye once more and burst out laughing. Finally, the pair calmed down and Xaen looked away from his chocolate eyes. She walked intimately close to him, smiling knowingly as one of his hands wrapped around her and press her into his chest. As soon as the embrace was made, however, it was over and Xaen stepped back with an amused look, void of the intimacy it once held. "So now that I've got your clothes wet, we might as well fix that door." Xaen didn't regret kicking down the door until now, as she exited August's room almost hastily and shifted her attention to the wooden mess on the ground. Splinters of wood rested on the kitchen countertops from where they had been thrust from their place. The metal bolts were god-knows-where and the hinges themselves were hanging loosely off the door frame. Xaen smirked proudly as she surveyed the damage. "Get me a drill and some screws, we can fix this before you dad comes." She pushed back the thoughts that followed, along with her damp, dark hair. She kneeled down to pick up a piece of chipped, white paint when her ears caught the sound of scuffling. Her blue eyes peered over her shoulder to see a little girl's head poking out of the doorway. Xaen wrinkled her nose distastefully, never having been a fan of kids. She turned her focus to the door only to feel the girl's eyes bearing into her back. Without looking, Xaen raised a brow and addressed her, "When a girl's gotta pee, a girl's gotta pee." She said it so nonchalontly, as if it excused the fact that she damaged their house. Xaen continued picking at the splinters on the ground while she waited for August to return with tools.

[TESLA]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/AugustShipsintheNightmiddle.png] Today,

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I recognize loneliness.

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The laughter diminished to a slight smile on August’s face, though his eyes still glinted happily. He stared tentatively at Xaen’s face as she lessened the distance between them considerably, trying to read her. Not caring if she protested, though he knew she wouldn’t, he boldly snaked his arm around the width of her abdomen, pulling her close to him. He dared not hold her a moment longer, for fear of sending her off.

”So now that I’ve got your clothes wet, we might as well fix that door.” August gave a delayed nod at her proposal. He stood almost dumbfounded a moment before it registered that he should probably get doing something more productive than just standing there.
”Get me a drill and some screws, we can fix this before your dad comes.” Xaen ordered as she hastily picked up the splinters off the carpet. He nodded again out of habit, though with her back turned she couldn’t see. As he realized this he mumbled, ”Sure,” and stepped over her, making his way to the kitchen.

August hesitated some as he approached the supply cabinets, knowing that any second Caedy would burst from the door right beside them. He considered taking a silent approach, but decided to just be upfront about the situation.
As predicted, as soon as the hatch to the door clicked, the door to his right flew open, causing him to flinch immediately.
”What the hell is going on?” Caedy spat in a hoarse, loud whisper. Her eyes burned with anger, but August knew it was her own way of reacting out of fear. She held the door open wide with one hand, while the other was propped against the door frame. From behind her poked Rosie’s head. At the sight, August’s rich eyes softened.
He gestured for Caedy to move closer and after a moment she obliged. ”Look, I’m sorry. I’ll sort it all out, I didn’t mean to scare you guys…” He broke eye-contact mid-sentence, unable to hide the blatantly sheepish expression on his face.
”It’s Xaen, isn’t it?” Her response was more of a statement than a question, as she already knew the answer. Had she not, the look in August’s eyes would be enough. ”You know what dad said, August. When you do shit like this you don’t just hurt yourself. It hurts us, too. Keep that in mind, okay?” His nod was subtle.
She hesitated before she spoke again. ”Have you… talked to her yet?” August shook his head solemnly, his eyes scanning the floor. She sighed and pulled her heavy gaze from his face, turning around and heading back into Tessa and Rosie’s room, shaking her head as she went.

Forcing the conversation out of his head, August tugged open the cabinet door more forcefully than necessary, yanked out the toolbox and a can of paint, and shut the door again. He headed out of the kitchen into the hall. He set the supplies beside Xaen and leaned against the wall, pressing his hands against it. He knew what to do, as he had learned to be quite the handyman in his dad’s frequent absence, but he felt it best to let Xaen take control, as per usual.
Slowly, feelings of guilt and pain crept into his mind. He had forgotten what it was like to be in the presence of Xaen. Happiness, though dreadfully subtle, felt phenomenally euphoric compared to the numb state he had remained in since they stopped talking. He knew he was staring, but he didn’t care. He looked at her in a way only an artist could, memorizing the way her navy hair fell over her shoulders, how each fold of her signature hoodie contorted to her shape. Counting the scars on her ivory hands, observing her tentatively grasp each sliver of wood and paint with more care than he knew her to possess.
He had tried for so long to remember how it felt when she embraced him, rewarded him with her warmth for even just a moment, but he couldn’t recreate the feeling. It didn’t compare to the hugs he regularly received from his sister, or the grim touch of his father. The way her hand felt, pressed against his shoulder as she playfully shoved him, or how their knuckles collided as they ‘bro-fisted’, or how her fingers felt as she tousled his straight hair. He had longed her touch for an uncanny length of time. Fear had kept him from approaching her, but the fear of losing her kept him from pushing her away now.

His dad thought August wasted his time with Xaen. But at that moment he decided, any time spent without her, wasn’t time worth spending.

((OOC: Oh god, I went so deep with this post. Sorry. I am hopeless at romance .__.; ))




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[DA VINCI~]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/XaenMiddle-1.png] Xaen felt her teeth grind irritably at the sudden sound of Caedy's accusing voice. "What the hell happened?!" "Look, I'm sorry. I'll sort it all out, I didn't mean to scare you guys..." Despite herself, Xaen smirked; knowing her grand entrance had frightened Caedy. There was just the flitting moment where she felt guilty for having done so to the youngest one of the home, but that passed too along with the time August spent at their bedroom door. She heard him step back and readied herself with snarky comments until Caedy spoke once more- her tone turning cautious and tepid. ”It’s Xaen, isn’t it?” There was a pause. ”You know what dad said, August. When you do shit like this you don’t just hurt yourself. It hurts us, too. Keep that in mind, okay?” Xaen shuddered at the thoughts such words brought on- the imaginary vision of August's seething father, August himself, standing to defend her mess. The confusion and anger the scene presented made Xaen feel her own defenses rise. She reluctantly gave in and turned to view the two to make sure no harm was to be done. When the grim nod of August's head seemed to end the conversation, Caedy left to tend to the two other residents of the Anjelo household. Her heavy mood giving no satisfaction to the witness in the kitchen. With the sound of August's footsteps growing, the girl quickly turned her head away and focused on the task at hand. Resting her right knee down on the debris as she crouched, Xaen found a convincingly comfortable position and pretended as if her work had never been disturbed. When the majority of the larger pieces had been cleared, Xaen stood up and dusted her worn jeans off. Adjusting her trademark hoodie around the waist, she turned around and feigned surprise at August's return. Slowly, however, her surprise gained sincerity as she caught onto the intensity of his stare. At first, she suspected him to be distantly looking at her back or her feet but now she could see his eyes trail up her frame- the focus he seemed to be giving to each part and detail of her being and -for a moment,- she felt self-concious and foreign. For the first time today, she did feel as if she was intruding, but the way his eyes were set upon her, she felt exposed- as if he suddenly switched roles; became the intruder. Xaen's eyes shied from his frame, not comfortable with the game he was playing and so went on to clear her throat, shifting her weight onto one hip and showing ignorance to his stare. Raising her fist to his shoulder to push him off balance from the wall, she gave a small grin and gestured to the materials he'd brought. "Okay- I have no idea how to use these so how about you be my bitch for an hour and fix..." She gestured awkwardly to the ground, "Well... this, while I go and so kindly inspect your fridge." With a smirk, she walked over to the chairs behind the kitchen counter and sat down in front of a bowl of fruit. When August only gave her a skeptic look in response, Xaen pointed to the broken door, making a shooing motion. When it failed, her smirk gained a more confident level to it as she raised a brow, taking her hand and instead using it to take out a banana from the bowl. She began to trace it's broad indentation with the tip of her index finger, running it along the tip and laughing out loud when August finally looked away, red-faced. Hopefully, her attempts will succeed in getting him to do the work- and to lighten the mood and distract her mind from leering towards the suspicious conversation he and his sister shared just moments ago.

[TESLA]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/AugustShipsintheNightmiddle.png] Today,

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I take the initiative.

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August shied his eyes from Xaen’s figure when he realized that she had noticed him staring. She had shifted her gaze from him almost self-consciously, and he felt responsible for her discomfort. His eyebrows pulled together a moment as he considered apologizing when she listed her fist to his shoulder, shoving him off balance. He stumbled, hardly catching his balance as he thrust his foot outwards, his hands grasping the wall behind him as if seeking grip that wasn’t there.
Xaen grinned in her casual toothy fashion and brought his attention to the toolbox and paint. ”Okay – I have no idea how to use these so how about you be my bitch for an hour and fix… Well, this, while I go and kindly inspect your fridge.” August smirked and gave a small, single chuckle. Although he didn’t usually appreciate cleaning up other people’s messes, it had become habit after spending so much time with Xaen, and he had missed it. He had come to enjoy cleaning up after she had finished wreaking havoc, it reminded him of the entertainment the trouble had provided. Often it also allowed him to empathize with their victims as well, which in this case, was the door.
Even so, August glanced at Xaen skeptically, but couldn’t hide the smirk in his eyes as she shooed him towards his work. He tilted his head to the side in an almost challenging manner, wondering if he should initiate a protest. A black eyebrow raised as she selected a banana from the fruitbowl, running her slim finger along its length. August felt his face blush vibrantly, his ebony eyes widening. Quickly he turned away and got to work, Shying away from Xaen’s accomplished laughter.
After a good twenty minutes of gluing and smoothing and adjusting and, finally, painting, August propped the door against the wall, pleased at its finished look. The next obstacle was getting it back on the broken hinges. Eventually, he managed to refasten the door back, open and closing it several times over before he was satisfied. He gave out a sigh of pride in his work, wiping his hands off each other. He gave a good nod of approval before heading into the kitchen.
In there, he found a very happy Xaen, gorging herself in the delectable leftovers from within the fridge. Yet another mess she had made. Shaking his head he got to work bringing the dishes to the sink, wiping food off the table, and putting the rejected remains in the garbage. Finally, he stood cross-armed in front of her, looking at her with an expectant expression.
With a smirk, he pulled her up rather forcefully, pulling her into a hug before she could protest, feeling obligated after his hard work. He breathed in slowly, taking in the scent he had nearly forgotten, his broad hands cupping her shoulders. This was a more intimate hug than usual, he couldn’t remember the last time he managed to embrace her this close. Usually he didn’t want to cross a line, but that wasn’t what occupied his thoughts currently.
Premitting Xaen her freedom from his clutches, he spread them apart, taking in a deep breath before addressing a long procrastinated situation.
”Come on, my dad will be home soon. I’ll walk you home,” He left her no time to object, pulling her through the house and out the door without even bothering to hear her response. All August could hope is that he had made it clear that his intentions were deeper than just a casual walk. Finally, after weeks, he would tell her what he needed to get off his chest so badly.

((OOC: didn't bother doing any editing, just wanted to get this up, so sorry for any mistakes.))

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[DA VINCI~]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/XaenMiddle-1.png] Xaen felt a litte guilty as she watched August finish with the door and set to organizing the mess she'd made on the counter. She took a spoonful of the creamy cake before her and hummed a tune, "Cinderelly, Cinderelly..." she teased in a soft tone. She laughs briefly before taking another bite. Suddenly she's off the stool and on her feet, August's arms holding her in a tight embrace. Mouth full, she gives a muffled, silly-sounding laugh before swallowing the cake and snuggling deeper into his chest. "Mmmm..." she murmurs unconciously to both the embrace and the treat. Her nose takes in his piney, light scent as it engulfs her smaller frame much like his protective arms. Xaen is presented here with the realization of how much the incident from before had affected August. She now understood his sudden need for affection but her own insecurities prevent her from linking that need for affection to herself. His hands slid up to grasp her shoulders, the underlining desperacy in them feeding the growing uncomfortable sense of intimacy. Xaen willed herself to stay put, however, allowing him this one time to make up for the days she'd ignored him- misunderstood his anger and in turn, blazed her own. Finally, August pulled away and Xaen put on a convincing grin to mask the one of discomfort. Her arms wrapped crossed infront of her to protect herself from any more scenes of affection, but covered such an act by rubbing her shoulders and pulling her damp jacket tighter around herself. Despite herself, Xaen felt a slight longing for August's harm hands, dismissing it upon the reality of his voice. "Come on, my dad will be home soon. I'll walk you home," he offered. He took hold of her wrist once more today to pull her out the new door. Xaen couldn't help but close the door twice to admire his handiwork. He pulled at her impatiently, giving off a sense of urgency, reminding her of the suspicious conversation she overheard earlier.