01/29 Instance: How You Remind Me

[littlebamf]

[Elizabeth] Head buried in her folded arms on the table top, Lizzie dozed slightly. She'd done a bit too much that day, now she was too hungry to even move let alone make food. It was nice and quiet, plus the rats stayed out of the kitchen.

[TheFallen] * TheFallen raised an eyebrow as he entered the kitchen. Well, at least she made it to the kitchen... she probably didn't eat though. He sighed, and put the kettle on and looked around for bread.

[TheFallen] A few minutes later he set down sandwiches and two mugs of tea, both of them by him so Lizzie didn't knock hers over when she woke up.

[TheFallen] He contemplated Lizzie, still asleep, and sighed again, inwardly this time. Well, had to happen sooner or later. He braced himself and tapped her arm. "Lizzie, wake up," he implored quietly.

[Elizabeth] Jerking at the tapping, she gave a quiet sob, expecting to find a rat on her arm when she drowsily opened her eyes. Instead, she found a pale, comfortingly familiar hand. "W- Warren?"

[Elizabeth] Shaking the last remnants of sleep away, she slid out of her chair and around the table, wordlessly wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

[TheFallen] Warren sighed and patted her back. "Elizabeth, you've been overdoing it," he murmured in her ear.

[Elizabeth] "Just been keeping myself busy. When I'm busy I don't have to think," she sat down on the chair next to him and gave a slightly sad little smile. "I have a new room mate. They moved Shaz into the basement because TJ's mother phoned up and complained."

[TheFallen] * TheFallen frowned. "Being busy doesn't mean working yourself to death." He picked up a mug of tea and slid the other one towards her. "Good thing they moved the rat girl, though, right?"

[Elizabeth] Nodding she accepted the tea and wrapped her hands around it. "I'm sorry for that day I called you...What are you doing here anyway?" she asked curiously, now awake enough to realise he was actually sat there in the kitchen and she wasn't dreaming

[TheFallen] Warren leaned back and took a sandwich. That one would take a bit of explanation. Or would it? "Well, I was kind of bored... and needed something to do... so I decided to return to my old haunt."

[TheFallen] His lips quirked. "I'm actually on staff now, if you can believe it." There, that seemed good enough. He always told Elizabeth the truth... just not all of it.

[Elizabeth] "Staff?" her eyes wide, she gaped at him. "Oh - well - it's as crazy as me being an assistant I suppose!"

[Elizabeth] "So...You're going to be staying around?"

[TheFallen] * TheFallen shrugged. "Might as well. What other options do I have?"

[Elizabeth] Shrugging she eyed the plate of sandwiches. "Can...Can I have one of those?"

[TheFallen] Warren stared at her in disbelief. "No. They're all mine," he asserted flatly.

[Elizabeth] She bit her lip and looked down, rubbing her shoulder. "I'll make my own in a bit...."

[TheFallen] * TheFallen leaned in, tipping her chin up to look him in the eye. "Elizabeth, what is wrong with you?" He couldn't catch the question before it escaped him but it did need to be asked.

[TheFallen] "Of course you can. They're yours. What's wrong?"

[Elizabeth] Attempting to avoid his eyes she wriggled, then became still. "I don't know, Warren...I just don't know anymore. Not even what I feel."

[Elizabeth] "They moved Shaz out of the room, and now there's a really nice girl there instead, but I still get this feeling of hate every time I pass Shaz in the hallway."

[Elizabeth] "And then there's Tom...I don't know what to do about that..."

[TheFallen] Warren slid the plate of sandwiches across the table. "Everything seems worse when you're hungry, so eat," he commanded, stalling for time.

[TheFallen] None of this seemed to explain why she seemed so... broken. But he had the feeling he should keep quiet and let her work it out out loud.

[Elizabeth] Picking up one of the sandwiches she started to pick at it, slowly at first before eating the rest of it at a normal speed. "Sorry. I'm being an idiot lately. I keep on having stupid moments where I'm just useless and feel all pathetic, then I'll be fine..."

[Elizabeth] "I just haven't been sleeping much, mainly. It's hard when one night you have a psychic migrane and the next you've got a rat running over you."

[TheFallen] * TheFallen frowned. "Didn't you say they moved the rat girl?"

[Elizabeth] Nodding she tore another sandwich in half. "She hates me. I don't know why. She just does."

[Elizabeth] "One of the rats broke a picture of you I had on my shelf...Shit, I was showing these new first years around and I just found it and I just wanted to cry..."

[TheFallen] Warren smiled slightly to see her tearing through the sandwiches and leaned his elbows on the table. He put his chin in his hand. "Well, generally, I've found people suck," he said bluntly.

[TheFallen] "The trick is to find those who don't and concentrate on them."

[Elizabeth] "My sheilding is off too. I think that might be the problem; there are more new people than I thought about so I keep having to adjust and compensate and there are about five new telepaths around..."

[Elizabeth] Going a little red she sat back, drawing one of her knees up to her chin. "Then there's Tom. That's confusing."

[TheFallen] * TheFallen grinned inwardly. It all came back to Tom, didn't it. "Why?"

[Elizabeth] "Because I don't know if I'm making myself like him because he wants to fu...er, or because I actually do like him."

[Elizabeth] "And I swear you start on the 'you're a wonderful person and so important to the school blah blah' again I will throw this at you," she said, almost smiling. "Tom doesn't care how many extra hours I pull for this place, he's more interested in seeing me naked."

[TheFallen] Warren choked with laughter at her first comment, then shrugged at her second, still chuckling.

[TheFallen] Finally he sobered. "Well... love is confusing. That's all I can say. I think that's pretty natural."

[Elizabeth] Smiling faintly she picked up her tea and sipped it. "Yeah. I've never loved anyone in a love love way. I mean, I love James and I love you, but I've never had..."
[TheFallen] Well, that sentence certainly had an ambiguous ending. "Well." Warren shrugged. "There's a first time for everything."

[Elizabeth] "There've been other people in the past, just never anyone...special. Or steady."

[TheFallen] * TheFallen cocked his head. "Well, sounds like you're overdue. Not that I'm saying you should throw yourself at him, mind. I'm just saying... don't worry yourself to death."

[Elizabeth] "Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to throw myself at him," she laughed shortly. "Not my style anymore. He has to wait for me."

[TheFallen] Warren smirked. "Fair enough."

[Elizabeth] Deciding to change the subject she looked back at him and managed a more real smile. "So, you're staying around?"

[TheFallen] * TheFallen raised an eyebrow and raised his head, stretching. "Looks like."

[Elizabeth] "I'm glad, really," she leaned over and hugged him again, as if she was testing that he was real.

[Elizabeth] "You know...it's odd, but the past day or two, I've been getting weird...bumps off my sheild. Almost like I knew you were around, but I couldn't place it then. We must have a connection," she winked at him.

[TheFallen] Warren nodded and smiled slightly. "Unsurprising, considering all we've been through."

[Elizabeth] "True. It's been a tough time. I can't believe it's almost a year since I came here - can you remember that lecture with the Spider Gimp guy? That was the first time we met - and the first time we actually spoke I was so out of it as Annie had given me some sedative and I went a bit loopy on it!"

[TheFallen] "Heh. And if I recall, I was my usual dark, gloomy self offering opinions for which nobody asked and depressing everyone in my vicinity."

[Elizabeth] "Well - after you'd come back after storming out, pretty much. You were in stitches before then though! And you didn't depress me, I thought you were 'interesting'."

[TheFallen] "Ah, well. At least someone was amused." He scratched his neck and grabbed one of the last sandwiches.

[Elizabeth] "We were bastards to those visiting teachers..." she shook her head and reached out for the very last sandwich. "Thanks for making these. I have been trying to eat and I was going to make something, I was just tired..."

[TheFallen] * TheFallen raised an eyebrow. "Well, you're going to try harder with me around."

[Elizabeth] "You won't give me a choice!"

[Elizabeth] Her expression became more serious. "Warren...I haven't told James about any of this. You know how protective he can get..."

[TheFallen] Warren restrained a smirk, barely. "That makes two of us. But I do see where you're coming from."

[Elizabeth] "Just - don't say anything to him, please? Shaz has been moved, her rats'll eventually stop coming and I'm fine with Tom, if a little confused, but hey, that's nerves," with a shaky laugh she stood up from the table and took the plate over to the sink.

[Elizabeth] "So, what do you do on the staff now anyway?"

[TheFallen] "Um..." the corners of his mouth twitched. "I'm a counselor, if you can believe it."

[Elizabeth] Giggling she turned arund to face him. "Seriously? Does this mean I'm seeing you in a professional capacity then? Would you prefer me to call you by your code name?"

[TheFallen] * TheFallen sighed and rubbed a temple. "I knew this was a bad idea," he asserted in mock despair.

[Elizabeth] Rolling her eyes she went back oer to the table and leant on the back of his chair, squashing her hands under her arms so she wouldn't reach out and touch his wings. It was always tempting. "Sorry. Couldn't resist."

[TheFallen] Warren raised his head and smirked. "I know. Wonder what the rest of the school will think, though. Because... Xavier didn't want to take me on as any sort of authority figure. He didn't think I could be trusted."

[TheFallen] "He's probably right." He paused, then added hesitantly, "I wonder if I'm not... too fucked up to help other people who are fucked up. You know?"

[Elizabeth] "I trust you," Lizzie said quietly and leant over the chair, kissing him on top of his head. "You helped me. You still help me. Don't think so little of yourself. I know thats rich coming from me, but you tell that to me, so I'm going to say it back to you."

[Elizabeth] "Sure, you're quiet, broody and a bit crazy, but we all are. But you listen. I've never known someone who can just listen like you do. You're always prepared to defend your friends and you always have to take it on yourself. You really are one of a kind, Warren, really."

[TheFallen] * TheFallen blinked. No one'd ever said anything like that to him before. Especially not with such vehemence and such... faith.

[TheFallen] "Well," he began hesitantly, "knowing that... how can I refuse?" He was silent for a long moment. "Thanks, Lizzie."

[Elizabeth] "Just telling the truth. You're a unique, special person. You can do so much to help people and what's more you're willing to. I think you'll be great. You have my vote for certain," giving him another squeeze around the shoulders she sat back down next to him.

[Elizabeth] "I think this semester is going to be alright after all..."

[Edited on 30/1/0707 by HoodedMan]

[Slarti]

[Elizabeth] "I think this semester is going to be alright after all..."

Famous last words there….. But it’s awesome to have Warren back – they are good for each other.

[JSherlock]

Woo! Warren's back!