[center][h1][color=yellow]Charles Gannon[/color] & [color=aquamarine]Aya Lynn Germain[/color] [/h1][/center][hr][center][h2]Location: Mall - Time: 12:00 [/h2][/center][hr][center][h3][@Brioko Jobe] & [@c3p-0h][/h3][/center][hr][hr] [hider=Getting to know...] Aya blinked down at him, taken off guard by the length and frankness (and [i]oddness[/i]) of his response. She tried to catch up. Then guilt pooled in her chest - she’d accused him of spying on her. Color rose to Aya’s cheeks. She felt foolish and paranoid, but given what she’d just gone through maybe it was warranted. Still, Aya was eager for an excuse to not immediately think the worst of the people around her. Aya tried to reorient herself in the conversation, and the surprising turn it’d taken. [color=aquamarine]“You… are you asking me to help you [i]fit in[/i]?”[/color] [color=yellow]“If you do not mind. If it is not science or some project I do not have a clue. I am not afraid to admit when I need help. It just happens so rarely.”[/color] Finishing off his latte and standing up. [color=yellow]“So where do we start? I assume you will say yes. Unless, of course, you find me too much a bore and a bother. In which case, you would only be exemplifying the reason I need help.”[/color] He made a point not to bring up what might have been troubling her. She would bring it up when it was right if ever. Aya scurried back a step to give the boy space as he abruptly stood up. [color=aquamarine]“Hang on -”[/color] she started, eyebrows pulling together. She was reminded of the autistic boy she used to babysit in middle school - the bluntness, the lack of social graces, the way he didn’t quite seem to be meeting her eyes. Aya pressed her lips together. She thought she might get whiplash from the odd turns her life was taking, but she’d never been able to deny someone help when they asked for it. [color=aquamarine]“Yes,”[/color] she finally said, [color=aquamarine]“I’ll help you. But when asking someone for something, you should usually wait for a response first rather than just assuming. It’s polite.”[/color] She tried to make it as clear as she could without talking down to him. [color=aquamarine]“We start with our names. I’m Aya.”[/color] [color=yellow]“My name is Charles. I am…”[/color] He stared at the ground for a second, shuffling his feet. Then look her straight in the eye's actual concern entering his voice. [color=yellow]“...sorry if I was rude to you in any way. I do not know how to deal with people and...”[/color] His mouth hung open a moment as if he was going to say something and decided better of it. Closing his mouth and thinning the left side of lips gave the impression that whatever it was he had decided was not going to be received well. Looking away again he smoothed his face before looking back and continuing. [color=yellow]“Anyway I am sorry. I shall try to be patient and attentive.” [/color]With that he stood there, feet shuffling with nervous energy, waiting for her next word. Aya watched him, a soft smile slowly growing on her face. He looked so much younger suddenly, self-consciously asking her for help. [color=aquamarine]“Well, whenever you’re rude, if you just apologize and try not to do it again, it’s usually ok. So you’re already off to a good start.”[/color] The two stood there a moment, and Aya wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. Aya wasn’t even certain [i]she[/i] fit in. She didn’t know how to help someone else with this. She glanced down at his attire, then back up again at his face. [color=aquamarine]“Would you… like to go get some new clothes?”[/color] [color=yellow]“Yes..I think so. I had some pretty strange looks from the other students when I wore my lab coat. I think I need to be less formal. I know nothing of fashion or style, or even what that would mean for me.”[/color] He paused as if thinking of something else. Looking around they were mostly alone and no one seemed to be paying them attention. He started towards the door of the shop. [color=yellow]“I suspect we are not going to do that here.” [/color] He held the door open for her to follow. [color=yellow]“Do you know many of the other students?”[/color] His voice gave gravity to the last question as if there was something specific he wanted to ask but did not know how to approach it. [color=yellow]“Am I pushing again? On the compound where I grew up it was all science all day every day, and truthfully I did not mind that. It is just that the doctors did not allow for much interaction between the kids unless we were working on a project together. I want to know what that is like. I want to know more about you….and the others.”[/color] [/hider] [hider=Someone to talk…] Aya filed away the words [i]compound[/i] and [i]doctors[/i] away in her mind, trying to keep her face neutral as they walked. Had he grown up in a [i]cult[/i] or something? She shook her head. [color=aquamarine]“You’re not pushing,”[/color] she said, leading them to a department store. [color=aquamarine]“There’s… not really that much to say about me,”[/color] she said. It was a normal response - one that she’d thought was true for years. Now though, they tasted like secrecy on her tongue. [color=aquamarine]“I’m from Hawaii,”[/color] she offered. That was usually enough to sate people, but with his mysterious upbringing, who knew if it would stand out to him the way it normally did with strangers. [color=aquamarine]“I’ve been at the school for a little over a month. I’m not really good at meeting new people.”[/color] She gave him a self-deprecating smile. [color=aquamarine]“I guess I’m only close with my roommate, Uná. Everyone else seems nice, though.”[/color] [color=yellow]“Why do people always refer to where they are from as if it defines them? I guess I do it myself from time to time and I do not even know where I was born. I guess I could say I had fun when I worked with Isaac and Ben, we were all named after Science Fiction writers, but even that was only so long as we were working on a project. What were your parents like? What was it like to know them? If I am pressing too hard it is only because I am trying to understand why people act the way they do.”[/color] He paused for a second [i]Uná, that was the little red headed girl from Professor Everose class.[/i] [color=yellow]“What is Uná anyway? She is definitely not like anyone else I have seen at the school. I can not explain how I know this as we are not supposed to talk about that stuff in public.”[/color] His face took on a quizzical look. As if he were trying to make sense of something and did not have the answers at hand. Aya stopped walking, looking up at Charles with wide eyes. [i]He knew.[/i] [color=aquamarine]“What do you mean, ‘what is she’?”[/color] Leaning in so no one else could hear. [color=yellow]“I can sense molecules without the aid of expensive equipment and she feels different. Everyone else I have come across whether gifted or not has felt like what I would call human.” [/color] A question formed on his face. [i] Perhaps not everyone at the school already knows about me? Why were they expecting me then?[/i] [color=yellow]” I am sorry if I was not supposed to know that. Perhaps, my curiosity has taken a hold of me. I do not mean to frighten you.”[/color] Looking up at the store they were approaching, [color=yellow]“So what are we looking for here?”[/color] He tried to change the subject, though it was obvious he wanted to keep talking about it. Aya blinked, trying to keep up with the subject change. [color=aquamarine]“Umm… just something that catches your eye. Comfortable, probably simple.”[/color] Aya chewed her lip as she looked through a rack of collared button-ups. She glanced up at Charles before looking away again. Eventually she said, [color=aquamarine]“It’s ok that you know about Uná.”[/color] Aya had no idea if that was true. [color=aquamarine]“It just… surprised me. I know, and maybe a few of the staff at school, but no one else does. I think some part of Uná is aware of it, but she doesn’t fully realize it yet.”[/color] It was almost a relief that Charles knew, actually. It meant Aya wasn’t alone. [color=aquamarine]“I’m not sure if you should mention it to anyone else - not yet at least.”[/color] Then again, what [i]would[/i] secrecy accomplish? It might keep everyone from freaking out, but didn’t Uná have a right to know? Didn’t they need to be able to prepare for whatever might happen? Something pricked at the back of her mind - why had she been so afraid to tell people? There was something she couldn’t quite grasp, hidden behind the mist clouding her mind. Aya pressed her lips together. She pulled out a short sleeved shirt, a soft pale blue to match his eyes. Maybe a little to feminine for him, and it might just end up washing him out, but Aya held it up for his inspection anyway. [color=aquamarine]“What do you think of this?”[/color] [i]How could Uná not know what she was and why should he not tell her?[/i] [color=yellow]“I think it is a shirt. Do you like it? If so I will get it, but what should I wear it with? You still have not told me about yourself...not really?” [/color]Charles attempted a warm smile, and was almost successful. Nervousness shown through making it awkward at best. He picked up a fedora from another rack and placed it on the back of his head so that the forward brim pointed up. [color=yellow]”What do you think, is it me?”[/color] [color=aquamarine][i]Certainly a statement piece…[/i] “Maybe not,”[/color] she said, reaching to lift it off his head. [color=aquamarine]“If you want to try a hat then we can look for something, but fedoras have a bit of a reputation… people can make assumptions when they see one.”[/color] putting the fedora back on its rack, Aya went back to the shirts. [color=aquamarine]“For the most part though, clothes are more about what you like, than what other people like. You find something comfortable, that fits well, and that you think looks good on you.”[/color] Aya grabbed another shirt, a deep maroon color, and held it up in front of his torso. She put it back on the rack, instead pulling out a soft dark grey one. She held it out to him, looking at it against his skin. After a moment, still looking at the shirt rather than at him, she said, [color=aquamarine]“I don’t talk about myself much. I’m more of a listener, I guess.”[/color] She glances up at him again before going back to the rack to find another shirt. [color=aquamarine]“You asked about my parents… my dad passed away in the Spring. He was sick for a long time before that, though. We were really close.”[/color] Aya pulled in a slow breath as she looked through the clothes. [color=aquamarine]“My mom lives in Japan. I haven’t seen her in over a year, but we call sometimes.”[/color] [color=yellow]“You miss them. Is it strange that I envy that? I sometimes wonder who I would have been if given the chance. Instead I am who I was made into...a man of science more literally than anyone expected. Now I have the ability to...find myself, I guess is the phrase. Will I like that person?”[/color] He looked down into his hands and saw he had picked out a few shirts. Mostly simple shades of brown, grey, and couple black, what surprised him was the light blue shirt she had first shown him. He did not remember taking it. [color=yellow]“This should be enough shirts for now. I guess pants, shoes, and a jacket or 2 should be next.[/color] He looked straight at her before continuing. [color=yellow]“I have a feeling your story would be fascinating, I will try not pry too much if you do not wish to tell it.”[/color] He headed up to the counter with the clothes he had. [color=yellow]“Where to next?” [/color] Aya didn’t say anything in response to Charles’ revelations. She couldn’t imagine the life he described. It was odd to be envied, though. Memories of her parents were scars, criss-crossing sensitive flesh, still painful, still ugly. But they’d been happy, once. She still loved both of them. Aya supposed everyone wanted what they didn’t have. She watched as Charles purchased his shirts, the clipped, clinical way he spoke making more sense the longer she knew him. The two made their way through the mall, going from store to store, finding clothes to suit his new life. It wasn’t how Aya pictured spending her afternoon, but it was pleasant in its own way - companionable. She almost felt normal. When he deemed his new wardrobe complete, they simply took to wandering the different shops. When they found the store with aisle upon aisle of bath products, Aya scanned the colorful bottles of lotion again. [i]Vanilla Dream. Minty Morning.[/i] Charles, watching the way she stared at the bottles, offered to purchase one for her as a thank you. She opened her mouth to decline, but something unknown stopped her. She looked at the bottles. [i]Ginger Blossom.[/i] A soft smile curved her lips. She saw her father, hands dirty from working in his garden, laughing at his own jokes. Aya looked away, to read more labels. [i]Gentle Jasmine.[/i] She picked up the bottle. Aya opened it, the soft scent wafting up to her. Memories of pikake lei made Aya smile. Something [i]hers[/i]. Aya looked back up to Charles, decision made. The two walked to the counter to pay, and she placed the bottle down for the cashier to scan it. Her eyes widened though, when Charles pulled an enormous wad of loose bills out of his pocket - 100s and 20s flashing openly through the store. [color=aquamarine]“Our next priority is getting you a wallet.”[/color] [/hider]