Summer 2011: Hepzibah

[Svartfreja]

Pietro: Pietro yawned and blinked blearily round the room. Where was he? He rolled onto his side then slipped off the sofa, he managed to catch himself before he ended up completely on the floor, but at least he knew where he was now. The recreation room.

Pietro: He righted himself and sat up, rubbing his eyes a little and trying to flatten his hair down again. Probably should stop staying up so late.

Hepzibah: Hepz was waiting on Scott to close up shop down in the Medlab. He was working late tonight running more tests for Dr. McCoy. Idly, she wondered in they were Mayhem's tests as she made her was into the Rec Room to watch a little TV to pass the time.

Hepzibah: When she rounded the corner, she found Pietro on the sofa. "Hey white-hair!" she grinned.

Pietro: Pietro looked 'round, still with one hand trying to straighten out his ruffled hair,"Hey Hepz!" He smiled at her, "How's things?"

Hepzibah: She curled up on one end of the sofa and grabbed the remote. "Oh, I can't complain. I didn't wake you up did I?"

Pietro: "No I woke myself up," he smiled again and settled back into his seat, "These sofas are far too comfy." He yawned again and covered his mouth, "Though it's probably my own fault for staying up so late."

Hepzibah: She was glad he was there. Ever since her necklace disappeared, the feline found herself skittish to be alone, although she wouldn't admit it. Instead she grinned at him. "I hear you. It's a shame the beds here aren't that comfy." She waved the remote, "Mind if I turn on the TV?"

Pietro: Pietro shook his head, "No go ahead..." He ran a hand through his hair again then frowned then, perhaps due to tiredness, he forgot to think before he spoke and said, "You're a lot thinner than you were last time we spoke."

Hepzibah: "Oh, yeah. Not had much of an appetite lately." In the month she'd been on the patch, Hepzibah'd lost about 15 pounds. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she supposed she knew the side effects of the patch were really becoming detrimental. But it felt so very good to be able to just sit and have conversations with people - men in particular, and not have to worry that she was subtly influencing them... like the one she was having now.

Hepzibah: "So, you ready for Fall semester?" She grinned and changed the subject, flicking the remote. "Made a decision on your apartment yet??"

Pietro: Pietro's frown deepened, "Gonna give up the apartment," he sighed, "Can't afford to stay there... maybe I'll look into something else instead - something more mutant-friendly..." He stretched a little, trying to shake off the tiredness, "And you should do something about the appetite thing - you'll have to buy all new clothes soon."

Hepzibah: "Hey, what girl doesn't want to lose a few pounds?" she winked. "Sorry about your apartment, you're taking it a lot better than I would..." She flipped channels. "So, what does your family think of this place? Or have you told them?"

Pietro: Pietro shrugged, "I don't mind moving, stayed in one place too long really anyway." He looked away from her, at the wall. "My family don't know about this place. Haven't told them, and I have no desire to talk to them so I probably won't."

Hepzibah: "Oh, I'm sorry." She'd obviously hit a nerve. For a moment, she chewed on her bottom lip. "I didn't mean to pry..."

Pietro: Pietro sighed and shook his head, "It's alright... not really prying.... I haven't spoken to anyone about my family in a long time - it's a bit of a sore point with me." He scrubbed his face with his hands, "I'm sure I'm not the only one with a few family-related skeletons in their closet."

Hepzibah: "You have no idea," she answered cryptically. "Alot of us here are either like me - no family, or like you, estranged from them." She made a little shrug of good will. "Mind if I ask why?"

Pietro: "My father and I had a... disagreement over my choice of career." He leaned his head against the back of the sofa and spoke to the ceiling, "He wanted me to work with him - something I had no interest in doing because I didn't agree with the ethics. I decided to pursue music. He hated that. So I left." That wasn't necessarily the whole story but it was more than he'd shared with anyone in a very long time.

Hepzibah: "Oh. I'm sorry," she answered sincerely, her brow knitted in sympathy. Before she could stop herself she asked. "What about your mother?"

Pietro: Pietro lifted his head to blink at Hepzibah, no one ever asked about his mother. "I don't know." He replied truthfully, "Don't know where she is. She left when I was six. Haven't heard from her since, not even to give an explanation." Sometimes he still wondered. Especially now. What if she'd left because she was a mutant too?

Hepzibah: At that, her face fell. That she could understand. "It's tough being deserted." She motioned to herself. "I was born this way. My... my mother abandoned me when I was two." She smirked humorlessly. "Guess having a kitten for a kid was just more than she'd wanted to deal with. But it looks like we turned out ok, just the same..." she forced a smile.

Pietro: Pietro gave her a genuine smile back, "Yeah, seems so." He surpressed another yawn, "I still can't help wondering about her sometimes.... usually when I can't sleep - which is happening a lot lately.... wonder if she thinks about me...."

Hepzibah: "Me too sometimes..." she drew her legs up and wrapped her tail around herself, almost defensively. "Sometimes I wonder if-if I'd been born...normal if she'd-" Hepz shook her head and refused to think about how different her like might have been. Still, that was the first time she'd ever admitted out loud that she wondered about her mother sometimes.

Pietro: Pietro looked over at her, wanting to comfort her but unsure whether or not it was appropriate, "I was born 'normal' and my mum didn't stick around, Hepz... sometimes it happens like that. It's no one's fault... maybe one day you'll find her and you can ask why..."

Hepzibah: Hepz thought briefly about her birth certificate. "Maybe..." She put on a smile. "Can't even begin to imagine that converation...'What? Were you allergic or something?' Not like she could pretend she didn't know who I was." She winked and flicked her tail.

Pietro: Pietro flashed her a grin, stretching his long legs out. Sofas were nice and all but they really weren't good for sleeping on. Especially when you were tall. "If you ever find her, you'll have to let me know how it goes - I'll try to do the same." Maybe he should start searching? Would definately be something to do in the time he spent not sleeping.

Hepzibah: "Oh, you might see it on the six o'clock news," she laughed, "Depending on how the converstaion went."

Pietro: Pietro chuckled, "Maybe you should take someone with you, just in case." He suggested, "It'd be a shame to have you get in trouble with the law - I'd miss seeing you around the place."

Hepzibah: She laughed, Mags had told her the same thing. But the law issue... "Oh, that's one of the reasons I stick around here so much," she winked.

Pietro: Pietro smiled at her, "Good." He pulled his legs up onto the sofa in an effort to get comfy again, "So, while we're on the subject of parents, what would they say if they saw how much weight you'd lost? I know my grand parents would be horrified and trying to fatten you up - my father would just get sidetracked by the fact you're a mutant."

Hepzibah: "Sound like awesome grandparents." she grinned. "Don't worry, I'll be fine, Pietro. Scott's already watching me like a hawk." She winked at him again.

Pietro: "I should hope so too - he gets paid to do that." He grinned at her, "But just in case, how about we get you some food? - I'd feel better if I saw you eat something."

Hepzibah: "Well, it's not entirely because he gets paid to," she grinned back, "But ok, you win. Let's go see what's left." She wondered with a little smile, if Mayhem had left any food at all in the kitchen.

[Elfdame]

"In the month she'd been on the patch, Hepzibah'd lost about 15 pounds."
Gimme that patch. Now.

On second thought, give me about three patches -- and super size 'em.



Nice to see them sharing confidences in a safe place. If only Mo could get up the courage to do it. (Maybe she has; I haven't had time to read a lot of transcripts.)

[Raven Hare]

DrSummers: Scott packed the last items away, and slung the basket over his arm. With a light step, he went up the stairs and knocked on Hepzibah's door. "Hey, Hepzibah, are you in?" He tried the handle but it was locked. "Hepz, you all right?" He rapped a little harder and put the basket down.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah jumped when she heard a knock at her door. Then she heard Scott's voice and relaxed a little. By the time he was knocking on the door a second time, she was unlocking it. "Heya cowboy! What's up?" She looked down and saw a basket at his feet.

DrSummers: "You okay?" he pressed. "Or did I interrupt something?"

Hepzibah: "Interrupt?..." She looked at the door. "Oh, no! I, um just...I must have locked it by accident." She put on a smile and looked at the basket again. "So, what's in the basket??"

DrSummers: "Oh! Well, I thought I would take you out for a nice dinner on the lake...?" He grinned. "I've been shut up in the lab, and you've been broody."

Hepzibah: She grinned back. "That sounds like the best offer I've heard all day." She looked down at her ragged tshirt and jeans. "Give me a sec to change?"

DrSummers: "Sure - it's nothing fancy." He indicated his jeans and t-shirt. "You're fine like that."

Hepzibah: Hepz nodded and shut the door. Quickly she pulled on her two piece and her sundress. Maybe if she was lucky she'd get to practice swimming a little bit. Still tying the halter of her sundress, she stepped back out into the hallway. "Ready?"

DrSummers: "Yes," he said, picking up the basket. He offered her his arm and led her down stairs.

Hepzibah: Smiling she took his arm and they made their way to the pier where the boat was tied up. She held the picnic basket and watched the swaying boat dubiously while Scott climbed it. Please just don't let me fall out of the boat, she prayed.

DrSummers: He took the basket and stored it securely. He held his hands out to her. "You won't fall in, promise, and if you do, I'll rescue you before you know what's happened." He squeezed her hands and gently guided her in, giving her a hug as she made it safely. "Just find a comfy place to sit, and I'll drive us around for a bit?"

Hepzibah: She smiled as she felt his arms around her, her feet touching down into the boat. "Good to know," she grinned. She pulled away took a seat on the cushioned bench beside the built in table and winked. "You're the captain."

DrSummers: "Heh. Well, Remy gave me a crash course yesterday..." He turned on the boat and started off, giving a whoop as the air rushed past them, wet and misty. He did a few laps before slowing to an idle crawl until he diced this side of the lake was pretty enough, turned off the boat and dropped anchor. "Well, here we are. The perfect setting for late lunch and early dinner."

Hepzibah: Hepz stared around. "This is gorgeous, Scott!" She'd never been to this side of the lake before. Opening the basket, she unpacked. Being here put her in such a good mood, she almost felt like eating. "You know, you didn't have to go to all this trouble Scott." She felt a little embarassed. No one had ever put so much effort into doing things like this for her before.

DrSummers: He grinned happily. "My pleasure. It's just as much a break for me as you." He sat down and leaned back on the padded bench. "This is very nice."

Hepzibah: "Yeah..." She took out the crystal goblets and handed them to Scott gingerly. "I'm sorry. I know I haven't been much fun lately." She finished unpacking, including the china and silver. She sat across from him and gave a little smile. "Thank you for this."

DrSummers: "It's fine - I don't expect you to be all the time." He took the goblets and picked up the fruit juices he'd brought. "Grape or Orange, or water?"

Hepzibah: "Water's fine," she answered, smiling a bit wider. Hepz tried to eat as best she could, but still barely managed more than a few bites. She spent most of her time looking around and stealing glances at Scott.

DrSummers: He poured the water for her, and himself, tucking the juices back into the basket. He flushed as he realized she was looking at him. He shifted slightly, rallying around the fact she was eating. He did notice that she was wearing a bikini under her dress; the skirt was tucked under her, showing off a length of her thigh. "Did you want to try swimming?"

Hepzibah: Hepzibah was more than a little nervous as she nodded. "Sure. Not going to let me drown, right?" She managed a smile and stood. Reaching up, she pulled on the ties of her dress.

DrSummers: "Oh er...I didn't mean now, let's eat and then just rest for a bit, unless you want to..." He trailed off as he realized he hadn't brought anything to swim in.

Hepzibah: "Oh..." She froze with her hands on the ties. "I..." With a flush he couldn't see, she met his gaze. "What do you want?"

DrSummers: You. "Eat first?" He asked. He fished in the bottom of the basket and pulled out a thermos and a tupperware full of strawberries. "How about dessert," he asked, meeting her eyes directly.

Hepzibah: Was it her imagination or was there a change in the way he was looking at her. She glanced down at the strawberries and thermos then back up. "I'd love some..." she answered in a low voice.

DrSummers: "Okay." He pulled a plate over and put the strawberries on them, and opened the thermos. He poured chocolate over them. He supposed he wouldn't tell her that Tante had helped him melt the chocolate after he'd burnt the first two packages. He waited until the chocolate hardened somewhat and held one out to her by the stem.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah stared at Scott for a moment, then lean toward him. There was a vague taste of sweetness on her tongue as she ate the berry he offered. Picking up the next berry, she held it up between them, her eyes never left his hidden behind his glasses.

DrSummers: Scott smiled and ate his own berry, taking his time to lick the chocolate off her fingers.

Hepzibah: She swallowed hard and her heart beat faster as his tongue played over his fingertips. When he was done, she slowly stroked her thumb across his lips. She was hesitant. She'd misread him so many times...

DrSummers: He sighed softly. With a grin, he gently licked her thumb before taking her hand in his his and kissing her wrist, and trailed light kisses up her arm in between speaking, "I hope I'm not wrong in my assumption that you would like to continue the relationship we've started so tentatively?"

Hepzibah: "Scott?" Her voice was trembling a little as she watched him. Her breath was caught in her throat.

DrSummers: "Yes?" He paused and sat back. "Did I get the wrong impression? Or am I too forward?" He still held her hand, stroking her palm gently.

Hepzibah: Neither She shook her head. "You talk too much..." With that, she slipped her free hand to his cheek and pressed her lips to his.

DrSummers: He kissed her back, keeping half an eye out for the china and crystal - Remy'd kill him if anything was damaged. He let his palm slide up her arm and around her bare back, pulling her closer.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah slipped her hands around his neck and molded herself against his body, parting her lips and deepening their kiss.

He pulled back long enough to switch their relative positions, pulling her onto his lap, taking the opportunity to slide his hands up her thighs, teasing her neck with the stud in his tongue.

Hepzibah: A gasp escaped Hepzibah as Scott drew her into his lap and felt his hands slip under her dress that was already hiked up around her legs. She leaned down and slid her lips over his temple towards his ear.

He laughed, trailing kisses along her collar bone. He grinned and moved his hands to pull the dress over her head, taking the time to tickle her lightly. He tossed the dress to the side and tilted his head back so she could kiss down his jaw from his ear.

Hepzibah: Hepz couldn't suppress giggling and squirming a bit against him as his fingers tickled over her. Down to just her bikini, she purred slightly and ran her hand up under his tshirt. Then, smiling she gently nipped at his jaw, eventually claiming his mouth again and letting her tongue touch against his tongue ring.

He nipped her lip gently and pulled the strings of her bikini top. It joined the dress on the floor. "There's a bed below decks. I wouldn't want you falling overboard..."

Hepzibah: Breathing heavily, Hepzibah pulled back for a moment and licked her lips. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?? She ran her hands lightly up his arms. "A bed?..." She shifted against him. "You sure? W-we don't have to..." she whispered. She wanted him, but not unless he was certain he wanted her.

"Unless you don't want to." He backed off a bit, watching her. "I didn't bring you out here for just some food and atmosphere." He blushed a little bit. "Mainly it was to seduce you," he said quickly, looking away. "But I can do just dinner and atmosphere..."

Hepzibah: That was all she needed to hear. Hepz kissed him again, claiming his mouth almost demandingly. "I want to. God, I want to," she moaned, pressing her body against him. "I've wanted you since the first time you kissed me." She grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, running her hands over him excitedly.

"Oh, good. Me too." He grinned once his shirt was off and pulled her close, enjoying the feeling of her fur against his skin. He gently lay her down and dragged his fingertips down her body.

[steyn]

Hepzibah: Hepzibah quietly shut the door behind her. Kyle was in the buff, dogpiled ontop of his bed, sound asleep on his stomach. Coming up on him she whispered, "Kyle..." When that didn't work she called louder, "Kyle!" Finally, she took a pair of his roommate's socks, wadded them up and threw them at his head. "Kyle! Wake up!"

Kyle: Kyle snorrted andjerked his head up. He was a little confused on where he was. The room was a big difference to that of what he was dreaming. He blinked and brought a hand to his mouth, wiping away some drool, "Hepz?" he asked, still on his stomach.

Hepzibah: "You gonna sleep all day? It's after 10:00." She threw him a pair of boxers and went to open the blinds. She held up her notebook she'd been practicing in. "You promised."

Kyle: Kyle pulled his boxers from his face and squinted at the sunlight. "Promise....oh, yeah, yeah, okay." he said as realization dawned on him. He pushed himself up and stretched and yawned as he sat before pulling the boxers on.

Hepzibah: Hepz was already cleaning off a place at the desk and pulling up two chairs. "Come on, it's just a week or so before the new sememster starts." She grabbed her pencil and opened to a fresh page.

Kyle: Kyle rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and stood up, and the temptation to stretch again was too much. He scratched his stomach and stepped up beside her. "Where we stop last?" he asked.

Hepzibah: "With these cards." She pulled the flash cards out of her pocket and sat down. There were bright simplistic images of animals and easily recognized objects. She took pencil in her hand and bit her lip as she stared at the top card. "Cloud..." She warily put her pencil to paper.

Kyle: Kyle watched her take her time writing the name down, then nodded, "yes, like that." he turned and grabbed the chair at the roommate's desk and sat down on it. He switched to the next card.

Hepzibah: She practically beamed at Kyle as he picked up a new card. She laughed at the irony a bit. "Dog..." She carefully drew the letters but with the 'g' backwards. She frowned; it didn't look right.

Kyle: He put his head on his hand and watched her for a second until she helped, "D and O is right." he said as a hint.

Hepzibah: Hepz stared at the last letter and suddenly brightened again. "Oh, the tail goes the other way!" She erased the bakwards 'g' and corrected it. "Better?" She held the notebook up a bit.

Kyle: "Uh-huh, yeah," he nodded, and then switched the flash cards. He looked at the picture of a 'house' and then at her. He wanted to give her a clue, but thought it best to wait first.

Hepzibah: Biting her lip, carefully sounded out the word. "H-O...H-O-S..." she gripped the pencil till it threatened to break. "H-O-U-S." She forwned but held up the notebooik hopefully.

Kyle: "Err, almost done. Need something more." He said and rubbed an itch at his head.

Hepzibah: She stared at the paper then stared at the card as if the missing letter would just appear if she thought about it hard enough. She sounded out the word again but that didn't help either. Finally she gave him a rare, helpless look. "I don't know," she finally admitted.

Kyle: ""Um, clue, need another letter at the end. A...thingy...vowel, need another vowel." he patiently said. This whole routine brought back frusterated memories of his own lessons. Atleast she was a faster learner than he was.

Hepzibah: "E." With a growl she finished out the word. "Stupid... doesn't even make a freakin' sound!" She wanted to throw something and if her head didn't hurt so badly she probably would have.

Kyle: "No, it doesn't. Stupid, I know." he agreed wholeheartedly, then started looking through the flash cards until he pulled out one with a picture of a 'mouse'.

Hepzibah: When she saw the little gray rodent on the card she crinkled up her nose in a disgusted growl. Then her face broke into a grin, writing 'MOUSE' just below 'HOUSE' and put the card side by side. "They rhyme!" she laughed.

Kyle: Kyle just had a broad grin on his face switched the cards, then realized he pulled house out again. He placed the two offending soundless e cards aside and showed a picture of a flower.

Hepzibah: She knew that was a tricky one. There was a letter that didn't look like it should belong. Slowly, she spelled it out. "F-L-O..." she went through the alphabet in her head. "H?...no." after another moment it hit her. "W!" She spelled it the rest of the way out and was rewarded with a growl from Kyle's stomach.

Kyle: Kyle squinted a little when he was reminded he needed food. "One more, then we move to kitchen." he said with much authority. He went through the cards again, looking for a certain card, and then pulled out 'flour'.

Hepzibah: That one finally got the better of her. Going through every conceivable misspelling of the word 'flour,' In a fit of angry frustration, Hepzibah finally snapped her pencil in two and threw it across the room, along with her notebook, and the cards, and the pencil holder on the desk and a little paperweight in the shape of a frog.

Kyle: Kyle waited out the white squall and then rubbed his forehead where one half of the pencil hit after bouncing off the wall. "I'm hungry, wanna go for food?" he asked.

Hepzibah: Hepz was face down on the desk, her head buried in her arms. A muffled, unenthusiastic "Yeah..." drift up. She finally sat up and pushed her chair back.

Hepzibah: She stood and retrieved her broken pencil, notebook, gathered up the cards and returned the pencil holder and little frog back to the table. She inspected the frog for a moment. "He just indestructible isn't he?" She must have launched it across the room a dozen times.

Kyle: "Yeah....don't know where he came from." Kyle mentioned looking at the frog. He stood up and lead the way, holding the door open for Hepz.

Hepzibah: She gave him a little smile and, after petting the frog, left it and went to the kitchen with Kyle. "I just want some water." She took a seat on the stool, trying to accomodate her tail without perching. Perching meant falling these days. "What are you having?"

Kyle: "Err..." he turned to the almighty fridge for help on that. The err turned to uhh as he looked through the fridge, "Eggs and bacon I guess." he said, taking out what he needed and then filling a glass of water for Hepz.

Hepzibah: She took her water. "Thanks." She watched him cook a little enviously - knowing he could smell and taste. She drank her water with disinterest.

Kyle: His stomach cheered in celebration as the whole kitchen filled with the smell of bacon. "You, er, you sure you don't want any?" he asked. "Can always add more....make scrambled eggs."

Hepzibah: She shook her head. "Naw, they'd just go to waste. Thanks though." She set the glass down on the counter. "What do you think of the new students?" she asked, making conversation.

Kyle: Kyle made a face of confusion, "We have new students?" he asked, then asked again, "Err, you sure you don't want to eat?"

Hepzibah: "Where have you been??" She laughed. "There's another white hair Pietro, a blond girl - Emma...and a guy - J...and then another J, but Jay - with wings." She waved off the offer of food. "You know food just doesn't taste good anymore. You haven't met the new students yet? I thought I was being reclusive."

Kyle: "They're new?" He asked. "I thought they were...err, you know...second year or something. Jay's not new, I know him." he scooped his food on to a plate and sat next to Hepz with a fork in a hand, already starting to shovel the food in his mouth. "Maybe the thing is too strong?" he suggested. "The patch."

Hepzibah: "I think it only comes in one strength." She rest her head against her hand propped up on the counter. "Don't worry, I'm fine. What are we going to do today after I break a few more pencils?"

Kyle: He thought for a second, "Buy more pencils?" he said. His breakfast was starting to disappear from his plate rather fast. "You sure you okay?" he asked a final time.

Hepzibah: Hepz laughed for a second, then quieted down. "I don't know, Kyle," she admitted quietly, studying her hands, then looking up at him briefly. She never could lie to Kyle.

Kyle: "Umm, maybe you should talk Dr. McCoy? Maybe a break from the thing? Like a day....maybe." He suggested before cleaning his plate from any sign of food.

Hepzibah: "But, if I take off the patch... the pheromones come right back." She turned towards him. "Kyle, for the first time, I can talk to guys without worrying..." she motioned her hands suggestively.

Kyle: "But....you're with Scott, right? He likes you without the stuff, the pheromones....so why you still using the patch?" he asked before standing up with the plate and heading around to the dishwasher.

Hepzibah: "He does," she blushed under her fur, her tail swished. "But he's not the only guy I hang around with." She nudge him with a grin.

Kyle: "Yeah.....but I don't mind your pheromones." he said, and then remembered something and started to look through the cupboards.

Hepzibah: "No kidding," she grinned at him. She knit her brow as she watched him rummaging through the kitchen cupboards, "What are you looking for?"

Kyle: He found what he was looking for and got up, and put down on the counter in front of Hepz a pack of flour. He grinned.

Hepzibah: She erupted into a fit of giggles. "F-L-O-U-R. Damed if it ain't!" She dipped her fingers in then flicked the flour on his nose and grinned back.