9/14 Instance: Coming out of the Shell

[NachtcGleiskette]

To be timelined Nov. 1st

Drake was sitting out on the patio at one of the tables towards the side. He was staring down at the table, running his talons up and down the table.

Tessa sat with her legs pulled in on the wall, halfheartedly fingering the long rosary around her neck. It kinda sucked when Halloween was over.

Rachel walked out onto the patio with her skateboard, figuring she may as well get some practice in before it started snowing. Although, snow wouldn't make any difference after skating with Bobby.

She glanced at the people that were already out there. Hmmm...Cess' girlfriend and that one kid...Drake.

Drake lifted his head, as he heard some foot steps and saw Rachel. He turned and also saw Tessa near the wall. He sighed and shook his head.

Tess cocked her head, looking at the skateboard in Rachel's hand. "You skateboard around here?"

"I would inside, but that's not allowed after I ran into someone," More like bounced off of... "Oh, and it didn't help that Bobby'd iced the hall and staircase," she shrugged.

Drake chuckled a little to himself and went back to carving at the table.

Tess laughed. "You iced the stairs and the hall. That must have made for some fun." She swung her legs down and propped her heels up on the wall under her. "Makes me kinda glad I can't skate. Board or otherwise."

She felt the necklace slip out of her shirt and grimaced. She looped it double and tied it to her belt, stuffing it in her pocket.

"Well, I could try to teach you...both...maybe..."

Drake busted out laughing. "Yeah like I wanna kill myself trying to use a stupid ass skateboard." he laughed a little more and leaned back in his chair.

"I doubt you could manage to kill yourself with this. Plus, it's really not that bad."

Tess hopped down off the wall, brushing off her backside. "I'll try it. If you let me watch you first."

He looked at Rachel and grinned. "Yeah says you." He shook his head at them both and looked back down at the table.

She just rolled her eyes at Drake and dropped the board onto the ground and stepping onto it. She pushed off at skated in a circle.

"There's not really anything out here to grind or anything, so it's kinda boring," Rachel slid her foot back to pop up the front of the board. Happy with her manual, she stopped and shoved it over to Tessa.

Tessa stopped the rolling board with her foot and stepped onto it, wobbling. She steadied herself and gave the ground a nudge with her toes. She moved forward a foot or two...and promptly fell backwards to the patio floor.

"Ow." Hurt. Ow. Concrete not fun.

Drake shook his head as he saw Tessa fall. "See told ya. Gonna snap your neck on that damn thing." He paused a second and then said. "You all right?"

Oh, ow. Rachel made a face, "You okay? Shit." She pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Damnit. I have to...yeah, but you guys can keep practicing." She flipped her phone open and walked off.

Tessa rubbed the back of her head where it had kissed the pavement. "I'm alright. A little knock on the head won't kill me." She gingerly moved her hair aside. "But it'd help if I knew whether or not it was bleeding."

"Uh...." He stood up and walked to behind Tessa and looked at the back of her close. "I dont see any blood, I think your fine this time..."

Tess chuckled and gave Drake a little smile. "Thanks. Wanna sit down here with me?" She patted the ground next to her. "We can talk. I don't care if you smoke."

He looked around for a minute and stretched before looking down next to Tessa and slowly sitting down. "Um...ok..." He pulled out a smoke and lit it.

Tess considered him, and slipped the beaded chain around her neck again. Less chance of bending it. "You don't have to answer, but I'd like to ask you something."

He turned and looked at her and eyed the necklace strangely. "Whats that?"

Tessa laughed and held up her rosary. "This, or my question?"

Drake looked confused. "Oh uh...I meant the question."

Tess nodded. "Why don't you ever talk to us? I mean the school in general. We're not going to hurt you or anything." She fidgeted with Rachel's skateboard next to them. "You always look wary of something."

Drake slowly scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well....uh....I dont talk to anyone, just how I am. I dont trust you people here."

"Well...why not? Some of us want to be friends with you." She poked her elbow into his side and gave him a lopsided smile.

He slowly grinned back at her. "Most people dont like me here, so Ill keep to myself." He looked at the ground.

Tess shook her head at him. "Not really. Most of us want you to be happy here. It is why we're here."

She went back to playing with the rosary and mumbled in Greek.

"Oh..." He looked at her strangely as she played with her rosary. "What are you doing?"

Tess blinked a few times. Oh! "Um. Saying a rosary. Praying." She shrugged a shoulder. Don't be nervous, woman.

He grinned for a second. "Didnt know I was so scary you had to say a pray around me in case you die." He grinned at her.

Tessa had to laugh at that. "It's not because of you, silly. It's because it's All Saints Day." She giggled and swatted at his hair.

Drake> He smiled a little bit and quickly looked back to the ground. "Whats all saints day?"

Tess scratched her nose. "It's just a holiday. It's the day we remember all the people who died for what they believed in that don't have a day for themselves."

"Like St. Jude." She looked at Drake. "Patron saint of lost causes."

"Oh I see...." He looked up at her and grinned. "Smartass...."

"Better than a dumbass." Tessa smiled and tilted her head at Drake. "Didn't you ever go to church when you were little?"

He lowered his eyes at Tessa. "Uh huh...." He folded his talons together. "Uh no never went to a church, stayed in some a few times thats it."

Confusing boy. Tessa smiled a little and took off her rosary, holding it out. "Look." She pointed to a string of beads. "You say a different prayer for different kinds of beads."

"The groups of ten are called decades, and you say a Hail Mary for those ones."


He looked at her very confused. "Oh...ok." He grinned a little. "Sounds confusing, glad I dont believe in that stuff..."

Tessa giggled lightly. "It is confusing...but it's nice to think there's something bigger that will take care of you if you get lost." She put the necklace back on.]

He smiled a little. "Yeah....for some people I guess it would be." He flicked his talons a little.

Tessa reached over and ruffled his hair. "It is, for me. Even though I haven't been to church in a long time. Years."

She waved at Rogue through the glass door on the other side of the patio and motioned her to come out.

He growled a little as she ruffled his hair and then put his hand near his mouth to covering up the fact he was smiling and just looked at the ground.

Rogue smiled at Tessa and stepped out, closing the door behind her, "Hey guys! How are y'all?"

Drake looked up at Rogue coming out. "Hey Rogue." He looked back down at the ground and nervously moved his hands through his hair and scooted a little to the side from Tessa.

Rogue grinned at Drake, noticing that he was closer to Tessa than he wanted her to know. "Alright! Ah actually got words outta ya foh a hello insteada just a grunt!"

Tessa chuckled and said, "He's getting better. Want to sit with us?"

"Sure!" She walked over and sat down next to Tessa and looked over to Drake, "So ya actually takin' mah advice an' tryin' ta let more people in ya circle of trust?"

"I dont know what your talking about. I dont trust anyone." He said quickly, keeping his eyes on the ground and flicking his talons around.

Rogue let out a short bark of laughter, "Maybe not fully, but ya trust me enough ta talk ta me an' take mah advice, an' ya trust Tessa enough ta be nice ta her." She grinned, he was breaking out of his shell, she was really happy for him.

Tessa giggled and scooted closer to Drake. "You trust me some, or you would have run away by now."

"Uhh..." He looked at Tessa and then to Rogue, his face getting a little red. "If you say so..."

Rogue grinned and got up, moving to sit on the other side of him, fairly close,

Tessa grinned to match Rogue. She leaned in, wrapped her arms over Drake's shoulders and squeezed. She even gave him a little peck on the cheek for being so cute.

Rogue wrapped her arms around Tessa's and around Drake, laying her head on his shoulder some as she squeezed.

Drake turned bright red and growled a little, as he tried to stand and push them off. "What the....let go!" He said still trying to push them off.

Rogue squeezed tighter as her grin grew wider, "Superstrengh, sugah. Ya ain't goin' anywhere. Besides, ya deserve a hug."

"You can't get rid of us that easy, Drake. It's time you came out of your little egg." Tessa smiled when she noticed he was blushing.

"To hell with you two let go! I dont need a hug or have a egg!" He squirmed more trying to get free, growling.

She squeezed a bit tighter before finally letting go, "Ah didn't say ya needed a hug. Ah said ya deserved one. An' fine... not an egg. A circular wall..."

Tessa let him go and sat back, smiling. "You know, Drake, I like you. You remind me of my little brother. He doesn't like hugs from girls either." Still gets them, though.

Drake glared at Rogue and then glared at Tessa. "You both suck." He looked at Rogue. "I dont have a wall He-Woman..." He turned and looked at Tessa. "Little brother?....nice...wait, are you calling me gay?" He lowered his eyes at her.

Tessa burst out laughing. "No, no, Drake. I'm not." She had to take a deep breath before she continued. "My little brother is only eight, and he hates being hugged by his big sisters."

Rogue just stared at Drake while she got over the shock that he just called her He-Woman. She finally just burst into laughter, "He-Woman? That tha best ya can do?"

He eyed Tessa. "Great compared to a little kid, I feel so much better."

He sighed at Rogue. "I was taking your advice a little and being semi-nice." He grinned at her.

She playfully shoved him as her laughter started to die down, "See? Ah told ya that ya were funny!"

He shook his head at Rogue. "Lies, Im not funny." He stuck out his long dragon tongue real quick at Rogue and zipped it back in quick.

"Are too." Tessa stuck her own tongue out at Drake. "You've got to face it sometime, you like us."

Rogue nodded with a smug grin on her face, "'Course he likes us. We're women who just happen ta be attractive an' nice ta him." She stuck her tongue out at Drake too, "An' if ya weren't funny, then why did both of us just burst out inta laughter?"

Still looking at Rogue, his tongue slipped out and pointed at Tessa. "Ill admit nothing. And your only nice because you feel sorry for me." He pointed at Rogue and then turned to Tessa. "And you probably just feel sorry too. And maybe you laughed at me because im funny looking?" He grinned a little.

Tessa giggled, a smile on her face. "I do not feel sorry for you in the least, Drake. But you do look funny." She leaned on his shoulder and ran her hand through his hair to stand it up on end.

Rogue crossed her arms and frowned a little, "Ah thought we had this conversation already. Ah do not feel sorry foh ya."

He shook a little as Tessa ran her hand through his hair. "Jeez...thanks." He turned his head to Rogue and saw her with her arms crossed and frowning. "Oh...yeah...sorry..."

A smile crept back up her face and she nudged him slightly with her shoulder, "It's ok, sugah." She frowned again, but this time, playfully with a smile teasing at one edge of her lips, "Just don't let it happen again!"

"Oh, you're welcome, Drake." Tessa started to smile and a question came to her.

She frowned a little and looked at Drake for a moment.

Drake grinned at Rogue. "Just dont let it happen again huh? Yeah better watch yourself, girl. I wasn't that sorry."

She laughed, "Sugah, not ta be rude, but Ah don't think ya'd do anythin' ta hurt me. Whether ya wanna admit it or not, ya like me."

Tessa chewed on her lip and her hand went back up to the rosary still hanging down over her shirt.

He smirked at Rogue a little. "Think what you want, girl." He poked her quickly in the sides. He turned and looked at Tessa and look down at her hand around her rosary.

She squirmed and giggled a bit as he poked her, "Ah will, thank you." She stuck her tongue out at him and poked him back.

Oh I can just see this going nicely... Tessa heaved a sigh. "Drake?"

"Why did you run away from home?" Not supposed to curse, but damn, that's gonna sound stupid.

He raised a eyebrow at Tessa. "Because there was nothing left at home when I came back the next morning." He sighed a little. "The next morning after my parents were killed." He looked at the ground.

Tessa swallowed dryly. Not easy. "I'm sorry they were killed. How....how did they die?"

He looked back up at her. "Uh....robbery gone wrong I guess. Someone broke in, I was little, I ran, came back and found them dead on the floor." He shrugged a little and looked back down at the ground again.

Rogue sighed and put her hand on his knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Tess scooted up next to Drake and put her hand on his arm. "I'm really sorry that happened to you. I know how losing a parent feels. It sucks sideways, doesn't it?" She looked up at his face and tried to give a smile that ended up crooked.

He looked up to Tessa. "Its fine, happened long time ago. Im over it." He sighed a little. "How would you know what its like to lose your parents anyway?"

"Because my dad's been dead for six years tomorrow." Tess reached over and gave Drake's hand a squeeze.

He eyes got wide as he looked at Tessa. "Oh...Im sorry, that sucks." He looked down at her hand and smiled a little.

Tessa blinked at Drake smiling. "Yeah...it does. But you learn from your mis...mistakes." well, that was smooth.

He cocked his head to the side a little. "Mistakes? What do you mean mistakes?"

Rogue gave Tessa a comforting smile and reached behind Drake's back to squeeze her arm a bit,

Tessa blew out a breath. "My dad died....because my mind killed his. He was trying to teach me how to control what I saw and heard." She gave a watery laugh. "Guess it didn't quite work out."

"Oh...damn...that sucks, im sorry that happened to you. You seem like your good now though." He gave a faint smile to her.

Rogue gave her another smile and small squeeze as she pulled back, "Ya do."

"Yeah. The people here are good for that. It's easier to accept with friends around you." She pulled the crucifix up into her hand. "And other things."

He grinned a little at her. "Ahhh so thats what thats for." He lightly poked her in the ribs.

Tessa smiled back at Drake. "What, you thought it was because it's stylish?"

Drake shrugged. "Maybe? I dont know chicks wear weird stuff for weird reasons sometimes." He stuck his tongue out at her.

Rogue laughed, "So do guys, ya know." She nudged him, then looked to Tessa, "Ah didn't realize ya were catholic. An' Ah'm ya roomie. How observant am Ah, huh?"

Tessa shook her head at Rogue. "I'm lapsed by now, I'm sure. I haven't actually attended a service in years."

Drake slowly pulled out his pack of cigarettes and pulled one out. Just as he was about to light he looked and Rogue next to him and sighed and quickly put it back into the pack. He looked at Tessa. "What do you mean lapsed?"

Rogue smiled as he put it back in the pack. She gave him another quick hug, "Thanks. Ya bein' considerate."

"Lapsed just means I haven't been active in the church." Tessa wrinkled her nose. "I almost like it better without mass. It's depressing sometimes."

Drake growled a little as Rogue hugged him. "I dont know what your talking about, now off He-Woman." He shook his head and smiled at Tessa. "Oh I see, dont sound much fun to me."

Rogue giggled softly as she pulled away, "Ya know ya like it."

Tessa giggled and poked Drake's shoulder. "Sometimes it is, sometimes not so much." She rubbed her shoulders and shivered. "I'm getting too cold for comfort. You two want to move this inside?"

Drake smiled at Tessa. "Uh huh." He looked around him and then behind him. "Guess so."

Rogue smiled, "At least Ah'm not tha only one freezin'." She laughed, "Ah hate cold weather." She got up and offered the both of them a gloved hand, "Shall we?"

[Edited on 15/9/07 by NachtcGleiskette]

[steyn]

Too much italics ftl

[NachtcGleiskette]

[tears~fall~like~glass]

damn my mother. I missed hugging Drake...well, not that Rae would...

[wingyding]

well that one went all over the place. But it wrapped at somewhere around 5AM eastern time, so can you blame us?