[centre][h1][color=coral]Phoebe[/color] And [color=darkslategray]Deon[/color][/h1] [img]https://68.media.tumblr.com/ba2351acf2ac91733c3baad557b48757/tumblr_mj8pa1x8511s52p0lo1_500.gif[/img][img]https://media.giphy.com/media/WARzQqmNasfrq/giphy.gif[/img] [b]Location:[/b] The Academy, trees by the lake[/centre] [hr][hr] Having strayed from the main throng of excited students, but not too far, Deon followed a narrow trail lined with lampposts towards some large, narrow buildings in the distance and a lake at the side. Even he had to admit, this place was huge and… really not all that bad looking. The grass was green, the trees fully and healthy, and the lake looked fairly clear and… and the lampposts weren’t something installed back in the 1900’s. Halting his steps, Deon reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his pack of cigarettes, plucking one from the carton and perched it between his lips while he fished in his faded jeans for his lighter. With practice that came from four years of smoking, he slipped the carton back into his shirt pocket and lit the cigarette simultaneously with each hand while his lips kept it in place. Taking a few puffs, ensuring it was lit, Deon then returned the lighter to his pants pocket and leaned himself against a nearby lamppost, crossing his arms over his chest and just took a moment to enjoy the scenery around him. Either the school had one hell of a gardener, or there was some super shit going on to keep these grounds as immaculate as they were. It was a far cry from Stryker’s island, that was for sure, but he had seen better. There was the sound of tiny pebbles being crunched against pavement and then the faint rustling of grass. Turning his neck to look over his shoulder, Deon spotted the girl that had kissed him not ten minutes ago. Their meeting was rather… ill-companied the first time. Perhaps this time could be a bit more… stimulating. Not that a punch to the face and the rush of adrenaline and testosterone that followed wasn’t stimulating, but he had his mind set on a different sort. Putting his cigarette out on the foot of his shoe and stuffing the rest of the stick into the box for later, Deon turned himself around and walked towards the tree Phoebe had taken solitude under. He poked his head around the trunk of the tree from behind her and cleared his throat. [color=darkslategray]”Would you believe me if I told you that I am actually, [i]not[/i] stalking you?”[/color] When it seemed that Megumi wasn’t coming with her, Phoebe sighed softly, and leaned back against the tree, looking up through the branches. The tree was sturdy, and healthy, and Phoebe let herself focus on that. Ever since she was young, feeling how alive the plants were was soothing to her. She wasn’t expecting anyone to come up to her, so the sound of a voice did surprise her. She looked over to the voice. Of course. [color=coral]”I don't know, you seem like you like to stalk people… But it’s not like there’s a lot of options to where we can go at the moment, so I guess I can believe you”[/color] [color=darkslategray]”Yeah, what’s with that, anyway? What if someone has to go in and piss, you know? Or check out their room or…”[/color] Deon shook his head. [color=darkslategray]”Grounds are nice, but if you ask me, I think it’s about time Mr. Wayne gets his head pulled out from his ass and just lets us in before people start to think twice about coming here.”[/color] Phoebe gave a shrug, [color=coral]”I guess because if people do just wander off, they won’t know what they have to do next. We aren’t registered yet, and come Monday there’d be people who don’t know what they are doing ‘cause they didn’t know how to register. Maybe he wants to speak to us all. Or maybe it’s all just a test, to see what we do when we’re given the freedom to do so”[/color] She said, watching him. [color=darkslategray]”Sounds like a good way for us to all just kill each other.”[/color] Deon shrugged, and walked up from behind the tree so that he could stand beside her. Phoebe gave a small laugh, despite herself. [color=coral]"Maybe that’s the test, to not kill each other. Nearly failed then”[/color] She again shrugged, [color=coral]”Schools and stuff always do this sort of thing though. Make you wait. Maybe they want everyone here, who knows? They’re good at keeping secrets, after all”[/color] Shifting so she could watch him. [color=coral]”But there grounds are large, and that’s something[/color] Again, Deon shrugged his shoulders, not really caring what the reason was. He was just getting tired of it. [color=Darkslategray]”Hey, that bitch punched [i]me[/i]!”[/color] He rested his back against the trunk of the tree next to her and adjusted his shoulder blades against it a few times before settling. [color=darkslategray]”I was just doing my thing and saying hello. Dunno what crawled up [i]her[/i] ass, but I think someone’s got an aggro problem.”[/color] Phoebe sighed, and looked away. [color=coral]”I was talking about myself as well”[/color] She said, looking towards the group she’d just walked away from. If that girl was smart, she probably realise that it would be best to not bother her for a time. She looked back to Deon. [color=coral]”To be fair, you did interrupt our conversation, to flirt, and she’s a rather direct individual. She didn’t like you”[/color] [color=darkslategray]”So that warrants a punch in the face?”[/color] Deon couldn’t help but to laugh. [color=darkslategray]”I’ve had a lot of people not like me over the years. Can’t say I’ve ever been punched in the face for interrupting a conversation that didn’t involve alcohol before…”[/color] Smiling, he shook his head. [color=darkslategray]”Anyway, it got me a pretty hot kiss… I’d say it was worth it.”[/color] [color=coral]”Like I said, she seems like a direct, no nonsense person”[/color] Phoebe said, still wondering why she had done what she had. She raised an eyebrow [color=coral]”But I appreciate the compliment, although it failed in what it was meant to do”[/color] [color=darkslategray]”Well it didn’t fail to capture my attention at all.”[/color] Which Phoebe wasn’t too sure she wanted, recalling his earlier behaviour. And what he had said to Megumi. [color=coral]”Which is good to know as well, but too bad for you, one time thing”[/color] She said, a smile forming for a second, to fade the next. Her faltering smile didn’t go unnoticed by the young man. He glanced away from her for a moment, smirking and shaking his head lightly, before he turned to look back at her. [color=darkslategray]”What, you already got a man in your life or something? Afraid to be too edgy?”[/color] He turned his body so that just his shoulder and side was leaning against the tree, and raised his arm above his head to also rest against the trunk, allowing him to talk to her more directly, and a little closer. [color=darkslategray]”Afraid you might like it?”[/color] he challenged. Phoebe laughed. She simply couldn’t help it. She shook her head, [color=coral]”No man, but I’m not looking to just be a number to someone, a conquest to be looked back on. And Edgy makes me think of a thirteen year old kid thinking they’re tough because they dress in black, so… definitely don’t want that”[/color] She said with amusement. She shook her head, [color=coral]”No, I know what I like, but that doesn’t mean I want it.”[/color] And besides, she didn’t want to kill by a kiss, when she couldn’t control the toxins that came along with her powers. [color=darkslategray]”Do you see any black?”[/color] he asked, stepping back from the tree to gesture towards his clothing. [color=darkslategray]”My bike might be, but any other color just looked wrong on it. And who said you’d be just a number?”[/color] Deon then asked, looking slightly offended by the assumption. Phoebe frowned, [color=coral]”Then either you’ve been with too many people to keep count, or you aren’t as experienced as you seem”[/color] She said, in an almost challenging way, giving him a half smile and rather satisfied with her response. It was Deon’s turn to laugh. The girl had spite, he’d give her that. [color=darkslategray]”Only a pimp keeps count. I just live in the moment, you know?”[/color] He gave her a (seemingly) genuine smile. [color=darkslategray]”So what do you like that you don’t think you want?”[/color] Was he trying to trip her up? Phoebe watched him curiously, wondering what answer he wanted. [color=coral]”Heat that means nothing”[/color] She said simply, giving a shrug, and leaning back against the tree, taking comfort in the solid, rough bark on her bare arms. [color=darkslategray]”Not looking for commitment, then?[/color] Deon’s smile shifted somewhat. [color=darkslategray]”Ain’t nothing wrong with that, you know.[/color] Phoebe was a little taken aback, [color=coral]”Heat is what I like, commitment is what I want”[/color] She said. She looked away from him again, [color=coral]”And you don’t seem like a commitment guy”[/color] [color=darkslategray]”So quick to judge![/color] He put his free hand over his heart, feigning being hurt by her words. [color=darkslategray]”I’ve got plenty of heat, and I could sit here and tell you about commitment until the rest of the students kill each other, or… you could just see for yourself and not waste the time…”[/color] She gave a laugh, and shook her head, appearing somewhat quizzical [color=coral]”Well, if I didn’t know better, I’d say that was asking for a date”[/color] She said, amusement in her voice, looking back to him, and smiling. [color=darkslategray]”Or another kiss, whichever you want, babe… but both would be good too.”[/color] She had no idea what to think now, but she wasn’t gullible enough to be sucked into what was probably words, and nothing more. [color=coral]”I’d rather not risk killing someone twice in one day”[/color] She said. [i]That[/i] got Deon’s undivided attention. Kill? She thought she could kill him? His posture shifted, and he tried not to laugh at the thought, but he was genuinely curious. [color=darkslategray]”And how do you think you would manage that one?”[/color] Phoebe frowned, almost feeling like a little kid when asked just how they thought they’d do something wrong. [color=coral]”I don’t have control of my abilities, that’s how”[/color] She thought how easily her vines could have been poisonous, to Megumi and anyone else, and just how foolish she had been. [color=darkslategray]”So… what, you think you’re little vines might choke me, or something?”[/color] He shook his head. [color=darkslategray]”I regenerate, baby. You [i]can’t[/i] kill me - even if you wanted to. Which means…”[/color] He stooped his head in closer to her, speaking directly into her ear. [color=darkslategray]”You can scratch, claw and bite me all you want - I’ll have nothing to show for it by the time the sun comes up.”[/color] He pulled his head back and winked. Phoebe was a little unsettled, and she stepped back from him even as he pulled back, but rather than doing so because of fear, she did so because of fury. [color=coral]”Which changes absolutely nothing. I choose who I kiss, and who I sleep with, not the other way around. And right now, I don’t want to do either.”[/color] Still smiling, Deon shook his head and chuckled lightly. [color=darkslategray]”Well then how about a ride?”[/color] He let the implication hang, but then spoke to redirect her mind. [color=darkslategray]”You and me - after all this signing in and moving into our rooms bullshit - tonight - we’ll go around on my bike - have some fun, you know?. Whaddya say?”[/color] The guy just didn’t give up, did he? Phoebe thought it might just be better to give him something, if it moved the conversation in a different direction- and how had they come to be having a conversation? She sighed and then nodded [color=coral]”Well, okay”[/color] Besides, motorbikes were fun… and she’d never ridden one before. Just as Deon was about to reply, there was a nudge straight up his backside. Shifting a bit awkwardly, Deon twisted his body around, his eyes looking down to see a young, blonde dog sniffing intently at his rear. Using his hand, Deon gently pushed the dog away and though it tried a few times to return to him, finally got the hint after a few very firm, “no’s” from the male. The dog trotted off, stopped in the grass to pee, and then continued on. Shaking his head, looking a bit annoyed, Deon gave his attention back to the redhead. [color=darkslategray]”Alright. It’s settled. I’ll come find you after dinner tonight, and we’ll head out.”[/color] Phoebe was trying, and failing, to hold back laughter at the situation. She managed, just barely, to compose herself, but grinned, and nodded [color=coral]”Alright, then.”[/color] She decided not to comment on the dog, instead pushing off from the tree, feeling better than she had when she had walked away from the group earlier. [color=darkslategray]”Now… if you want me to leave you alone for a bit…”[/color] Deon tapped a finger on his lips, the corners of them turning up in a smile. [color=darkslategray]”Think of it as a parting favor.”[/color] She gave another laugh, shaking her head at the daring of him, she decided to play along- for now. She stepped towards him just enough to give him a quick, fleeting kiss, before moving around him and walking away, looking back over her shoulder [color=coral]”Until next time”[/color] Chuckling, Deon rested himself back up against the tree and watched her go - really a great view from behind. He retrieved his half-smoked cigarette, lit it, and remained by the tree to finish it out.