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Simon Curtis ([info]simon_curtis) wrote in [info]halcyon_halls,
@ 2008-07-04 18:34:00

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Entry tags:simon, sydni

Week Thirteen- Wednesday
Who: Simon and Sydni
When: Some ungodly hour, like 5am
Where: Lakeside
What: The making of a new friend


Unlike most teenage boys, Simon felt invigorated when he got himself up early. Many studies have shown that the teenage brain does not function well before the hour of 8:00 AM, but none of these studies accounted for supernatural beings. Maybe that's why I'm so strange, Simon thought to himself. More likely than not it was due to his having been awoken every morning at 4:30 for prayer. His mother had been a Fundamentalist Christian, and a strict one at that. "God did not give us daylight so we could ignore it," she had always said. "Every sunrise is a miracle." And every sunrise was a miracle, at least as far as Simon was concerned. It showed how perfectly life went on despite all the insanity that happens around us.

His sneakers were almost silent as he crept through the deserted hallways and out the front door. The curfew for those under eighteen was 10pm, but surely there was no curfew as to when students could leave in the morning. Still, he didn't want to risk being caught just in case there was. The air outside caressed his cheeks, and he inhaled deeply. It seemed like ages since he had been outdoors. There was something about nature that he had always secretly craved- the cleanness of it, the purity. The freedom. The fact that you're part Nymph, he reminded himself. Well yes, there was that, too.

Despite himself he headed straight for the grand oceanside. Simon had never been to the ocean before. There had been a lake parked in his backyard, so he had always been around a somewhat large body of water. (This fact was not always pleasing, as he held a somewhat paralyzing fear of water.) Still, the lake in Cullman hadn't prepared him for the vastness of the ocean. The school loomed at his backside and the water spread on forever before him. It was absolutely staggering. He walked close to the water, but not close eniugh to step onto the beach. There was a voice in the back of his head telling him that if he got too close, a wave would come crashing up and he would be swallowed into the abyss. He shivered at the mere thought. So instead, he sat himself along the edge of the shoreline and looked out, watching the sky lighten with each passing second.

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-06 02:03 pm UTC (link)
Sydni always walked the beach in the morning. She had done it all during break, and now with classes she continued. Luckily, she had been getting up at dawn anyway, so she didn't have to get up any earlier.

The full moon on Friday was making her even antsier than usual and she'd been getting up even before the birds, prowling the waterfront for a couple of hours before she had to go in and get ready for classes. It was doing a number on her sleeping schedule, which was probably part of the reason why she was grouchy this week. Normally, the start to school had always gotten her excited and ready to go. Right now, it just seemed like an aggravation.

This morning, Sydni had managed to find some sand dollars on the beach. They were white, indicating that the living critters had long since left this world. The little shells made her feel a bit better, as if the Universe were sending her a peace offering, a message that the little things would always be there, and that things would be ok.

Preoccupied in her meditations on the shells, her life, the Universe, and similar weighty subjects, she didn't notice the boy in the sand until she was nearly on top of him. Stumbling a bit out of surprise, she mumbled a distracted apology, and moved to continue around him.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-07 08:12 am UTC (link)
There was a girl alking on the beach. Simon watched her a few minutes, not really sure if his eyes had been deceiving him or not. Sure enough, after a few more moments she was still visible so he assumed that it wasn't a hallucination after all. What on Earth was a person doing awake at this terrible hour?

She seemed oblivious to his presence, so with a shy smile he continued to watch her, trying to keep as still and silent as possible. It wasn't hard to do since the waves kept crashing loud enough to wake the dead. The girl was in her mid-twenties, he guessed, perhaps 25 or 26. He felt a little ashamed staring at this girl who seemed not to know he was even there. Like he was a Peeping Tom or something. Well, it wasn't like he was picturing her naked or anything. Although...Simon literally shook the thought from his head. Hormones were no excuse to behave like a pig.

The girl continued wakling toward him, her head bent and inspecting what appeared to be a little circle made out of clay or something. She was getting closer, but he felt so embarassed about besmirching her good image his voice refused to jump out and warn her to look out. When she finally did see him, the girl stumbled a bit, apologized and stepped around him. "No, it's..." Simon responded to the apology. "I did it... should've said... you were just..." He was sinking fast and he knew it. A little proverb kept racing through his mind- Funny thing about first impressions... you only get to make one. He was bombing! This was a nightmare. "What's that?" he blurted out, pointing to the clay circle she was holding. "You seemed so interested in it. Is it a necklace or something?"

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-07 08:30 am UTC (link)
Sydni was actually older than he thought. And had she known what he was thinking about her, she would have given him a good mauling. Her normal predilection for running away would have been drowned by the influence of the full moon. This full moon was seriously screwing with her already odd emotions.

Normally, Sydni would have felt a twinge of sympathy for the boy, as she would have made a similar greeting on most days. This morning, she just looked annoyed and frowned at the young man. At the question, though, she paused. Her good nature won out over supernatural influences, and she sighed as she turned. Crouching down, she held out the shell. "It's a sand dollar. It's a shell. The critter is dead - it's white. Brown ones are alive, so you should leave those be." She had no problem giving it to him. She had many of them at home. Even though she lived her life on the ocean practically, she still found beauty in every shell. Most of the time she left the little treasures on the beach for someone else to find, but sand dollars were special. She never left them on the beach when she found them.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-07 06:34 pm UTC (link)
"Sand dollar," he said, turning the fragile (if not dead) piece in his fingers. "So that's what they are." He met Sydni's eyes, but quickly looked away again. "I've heard of them before, but I've never seen one. This is actually my first time on a beach. I'm from... Alabama..." He decided to stop talking. Not only was he beginning to ramble, and he had a funny feeling this girl wasn't in the mood to be friendly, but his southern accent was starting to pull into his speech. It was drawling and twangy and compared to everyone else he'd seen around here, he sounded like he belonged on at the OK Corral.

He'd always felt a little awkward, but being at this school made him feel both stupid and awkward. Everyone around him seemed to know things he didn't, seemed to hold some kind of secret that they whispered into their hands as he walked past them. Right now he felt stupid because this was his first attempt at making a friend and so far it wasn't going well. He could sense something off about Sydni, something that made him uneasy. He didn't know it was because she was a were and the coming of the moon was messing with her emotions. But he knew something wasn't right, like there was an underlying anger inside her, and he felt pretty damn sure that he was causing it.

"I'm sorry for bugging you," he mumbled. "I should've said something when you were about to walk into me. I don't mean to, like, intrude on your morning walk or whatever." He stood up, his gangliness more apparent because one of his legs had fallen asleep, so he stood at a sort of angular half-lean. "Thanks for the sand dollar," he added softly, his cheeks flushing slightly in embarassment. He felt like a complete goon.

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-07 06:54 pm UTC (link)
Never been to the beach before? Sydni felt a bit of aggravation with the boy. Who ignored something as beautiful as the ocean? People from Alabama, apparently. She knew it was an irrational feeling, and that the youth had done nothing to deserve her ire.

At his apologetic farewell, and his awkward posture and overall attitude, Sydni berated herself a bit. Who was she to make someone feel awkward - she knew how that felt. Deciding that he needed to be rescued from his deprived childhood, Sydni sighed and rubbed her face. "You didn't intrude. Why don't I show you some pretty things along the beach? I study sharks, and I've lived most of my life on the ocean." She smiled gently, showing the offer was genuine.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-08 08:04 am UTC (link)
Sydni seemed like a genuinely nice girl, although he still didn't know her name. His first immediate reation was to tell her that while her offer was very kind, he would have to politely decline. Then he would go hide in his room until he died of shame. No! he scolded himself. He was at the school to change who he was, to become someone different. All his life he'd been taugh to believe one particular thing, and in an instant all that had changed. So instead of being shy, he put on a grin and decided to accept her offer. "I live pretty far inland, so I've never gotten to come to the ocean before," he told her. "But I had a lake in my backyard."

Something clicked in his brain, as though his mind had finally heard exactly what she had told him. His grin turned into a gape. "You study sharks?" he asked, not even caring that his accent made the word come out longer and harder then necessary. "Like, swimming in the ocean with them? That's a scary thought." Scary, yes, but also fascinating. He suddenly pictured Sydni as a dangerous rebel, dressed in a Kill Bill-like leather jumpsuit and diving into a school of sharks head first, kicking ass and taking names. She would emerge from the ocean, driping and holding an innocent baby seal, whom she had rescued from the school of hungry predators. It was a ridiculous mental image, but one cannot help what pops into one's head.

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-08 08:19 am UTC (link)
Perhaps he wasn't all bad if he enjoyed a lake. Freshwater was better than no water.

Had she been privy to his image of her as a dangerous rebel, she would have laughed aloud. She was the farthest thing from a dangerous rebel imaginable. And she certainly was not going to be kicking ass at any point. To be honest, she was more like him than he could have realized. Her instinct was typically to go hide out in her room, although she had started to be less timid with the vibrant friends she had made.

Her initial reaction to his comments about her profession was to snap that they weren't vicious maneaters like everyone seemed to think, but the amused and intrigued look on his face stopped her. If he was genuinely interested, that was different. "Not really. I take all the proper precautions. They're not mindless garbage disposals like everyone likes to think."

She started walking as she talked, her eyes on the sand at the waters edge. She was looking for more shells, preferably ones that had a hole in them. For some reason, she thought he'd enjoy one of those, especially when she explained how they got there.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-08 01:39 pm UTC (link)
Sydni started walking away, and Simon had to take a moment before he could will himself to step onto the sand and follow her. It wasn't that the sand grossed him out or anything, but that nagging fear that going on the beach would make the water swallow him up would not go away. Still, he figured that if some terrible sea monster did come out and try to drag him into the undertow, this girl would more than likely save him. He did, however, make sure to walk on the side of Sydni that was closest to the grass.

"I don't know much about under sea life," he confessed. "I've seen a few movies with sharks in them, but you can't really rely on what films have to say about anything. I mean, if we go by what movies tell us, some of the students here would die from eating garlic bread at lunch. And I don't think that's true." From the very brief explaination Jake had given him upon his arrival to Halcyon Halls, Simon got the impression that the vampires, weres, pixies and what-have-you races weren't at all like they are depicted in the media.

"I'm Simon, by the way," he said, taking a hand from his pocket and extending it in a handshake. "I got here about a week ago, and you're the first person I've officially met."

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-08 03:49 pm UTC (link)
Sydni might be able to save him if a seamonster snatched up the youth, but only because it was so close to the full moon. Other than becoming a rampaging predator once a month, Sydni had no special skills to help her in a fight.

Nodding in agreement, Sydni kept her eyes on the ground. "It's true - movies tend to be rather inaccurate. You should watch Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. There's lots of awesome footage. Especially the sharks that jump - in South Africa there's this island where huge great whites clear the surface entirely on a regular basis." She sighed, "Man, I would love going on expedition there."

Sydni took the offered hand and gave it a solid shake. "I'm Sydni. I came too late in the semester to take classes last semester, but I've been here nearly a full month."

Finally spotting what she was looking for, Sydni darted into the surf and captured a small half clam shell with a perfect hole near the narrower end. She rinsed off the muck before bringing it back to her companion. "It's just a clam shell, but that little hole was drilled by a periwinkle, kinda like a snail. It drills through other critters' shells and eats them. Anyway, it's useful for necklace making." She offered the shell to him. She loved to pick up things from outdoors. She always snagged flowers and pretty stones when she went for walks. Sometimes she kept them for a while and then returned them out of doors, or sometimes she gave them away.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-09 12:33 pm UTC (link)
Simon nodded, appreciating the holey shell. "I thought periwinkles were pretty subdued. Didn't know they ate other creatures out of house and home. Literally." He was still mulling over the notion of great white sharks jumping clear out of the water. What a positively terrifying thought. If he kept talking to this girl, there was a damn good chance he'd never set foot into the ocean willingly.

"So you've only been here a few weeks?" he asked, making small talk as they walked through the sand. Truth be told, walking on the sand felt a lot nicer than he thought it would. It was also a lot harder than he imagined it would be. "I have to admit, I really like the idea of living in a place that feels like a castle. You know, like if the Spanish army were to try and take us over, we could pour hot oil on them from the rafters of the school." New image popped into his head- Spanish soldiers, straight out of the 1490s, charging toward Halcyon Halls with swords drawn. Cut to the roof of the school where students and teachers were standing around giant vats of oil, pouring the burning liquid over the roof's edge and scalding everyone below. A valiant cheer from the victorious supernaturals rises above the screams of death.

"Anyway," Simon continued, choosing to ignore this latest fantasy montage, "I never thought in a million years I'd end up in a place like this. Not that it's a bad place to be, I just... I couldn't have imagined it if I tried." He turned the shell over in his hand, the sand dollar sitting safely in his coin pocket. "What about you- what brings you to Halcyon Halls?"

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-09 01:50 pm UTC (link)
The only thing terrifying to Sydni about sharks clearing the water like that was that expedition boats tended to be rather small, and a shark landing in the boat would sink it. Otherwise, it was damn cool, and the fact that it happened almost nowhere else on earth, well that was pretty nifty, too.

Sydni laughed at Simon's discussion about pouring hot oil on an invading army. She had a similar image pop into mind, but with Frankie lighting said oil on fire, and various other supernatural effects blasting the crap out of the army. She had no idea she had a kindred spirit in this boy - she often had strange images or cartoons pop into mind, and she had always thought if anyone could read her mind, she'd end up at the funny farm.

At the question, her laughter stopped and the smile faded from her face. "I was bitten by a werewolf 4 months ago, on Friday. By full moons anyway." That's how she'd taken to counting it. Not by date, by full moon. How many times did she turn into a horrendous monster. "So, if I seem a bit edgy or fidgety, it's cuz of the full moon being so close."

Nearly forgetting she had a companion walking with her, Sydni did as she usually did when someone brought up her new race - she fell into secluded meditations on how much she hated it. She hadn't hated the were who had turned her when she'd gotten here. She imagined whoever it was must have been newly turned, and as clueless as she on her first full moon. That was beginning to change, and she was really starting to loathe her unidentified attacker.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-10 08:42 am UTC (link)
"Oh, wow," he mumbled, his voice severe. "I'm really sorry to hear that." A small chill ran down his spine. "It's really scary, you know," he continued. "Thinking about all these supernatural races that are wandering about without anyone knowing. I mean, if you think about it, someone could be walking home one night from work or a date or something totally innocent, and a werewolf comes out of nowhere and bites them. And then their life is changed forever." The unspoken words Like you hung heavy in the air.

"I sure as heck wish I'd know what a nymph was a long time ago," he added. "It would have saved me a lot of..." Hassle? Grief? Insanity? Would have kept his mother out of the insane asylum she was in now? "Misunderstanding," he finally decided on. "It would have cleared up a lot of misunderstandings."

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-10 08:59 am UTC (link)
She barely heard his words, but she nodded. That's exactly how it had been. To make matters worse, she'd been preparing for a ritual. It was like bombing a church or something. It was supposed to be a time of peace and joy, and total safety. Well, that had been totally blown out of the water.

She almost didn't hear what he was saying, lost in her own musings. When they caught up with her thoughts, she looked at him, concern and surprise on her face. "You didn't know?" She couldn't imagine the kind of confusion that would cause. And pain. Accidents.

She'd wondered why the supernatural world was kept so separate from the human world. She imagined it would save a lot of grief. Sure, there'd be panic at first, but she thought eventually it would even out and the two worlds could co-exist. Knowledge was power, and keeping humans in the dark was doing them a serious disservice in her opinion. Of course, she wasn't taking into account her own situation and how she was keeping her parents in the dark.

"I'm sorry," she said after a moment. "That must have been just as tough." She really thought it must have been similar. Suddenly finding out the truth must be just as traumatic as suddenly being thrust into the supernatural world. It was essentially the same thing, wasn't it?

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-10 09:12 am UTC (link)
Simon shrugged nonchalantly. "God makes every day an adventure," he said without any trace of irony. "But I don't think comparing your problem to mine is very fair at all. You were a normal person once, and someone stole that from you in a very cruel, and I imagine, painful way. I've always been like this, I just didn't know it." He smiled at her, trying to lighten the conversation. It was apparent that rehashing the past was upsetting her.

After hearing Sydni's story, Simon began to wonder if maybe everyone at the school had a story similar to his. Or did everyone here but him know about these weird races, or was he the only person out of the loop? Or worse still, was he the only person in the world who didn't know about these things? Maybe he was the only idiot who walked around at night under a full moon, completely oblivious to the fact that a werewolf could rush from the shadows and bite him. This morning was not treating his ego well. They had to get off this topic, and fast.

"Sydni, have you ever been stung by a jellyfish?" he asked randomly. "And is it true that you have to pee on it to make it better?"

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-10 09:22 am UTC (link)
Sydni did look at him a bit oddly. But then she shrugged internally. It saddened her a bit when people didn't have anything to believe in at all. Atheism was probably the one belief she just couldn't understand.

Trying to play down the situation, Sydni said softly, "It wasn't that painful." Not physically - not as if she'd been totally mauled. It had just been her arm, and the scarring was actually quite light.

At the random question, Sydni had to laugh. So much misinformation abounded. "No, I haven't, and I hope I never do. Some species are particularly nasty." Box jellyfish especially - the toxins could affect your nervous system for days, even weeks. And the pain was excruciating. Jellyfish scared her more than any shark, easily. "The ammonia in urine helps, but it doesn't fix it. In some species, the toxin is too strong, and there's no antidote. But, it can be good first aid in an emergency. A less disgusting method is to use vinegar."

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-10 01:11 pm UTC (link)
"Yeah, but who carries vinegar to the beach?" His mother might, that's who. For just such emergencies. Adrianne had always been cautious if nothing else. "And besides," he chuckled, "urine would make a nice conversation starter." He grinned. "Oh!" he declared, his voice high and shrill, "I've been stung by a jellyfish! What 'ere shall I do?"

"I'll help you," he responded (to himself), his voice now gruff and 'manly'. "I just finished off my six-pack of Coors and I need to drain the tankard, if'n you know what I mean. Just lay down there pretty lady and let 'ol Rusty save you." Simon chuckled a bit, then shook his head. He suddenly became aware that Sydni was still walking with him. Maybe she would more explaination- you know, so he didn't look totally crazy. "And then Rusty pees on her, then carries her off into the sunset. You know, like a Lifetime movie." His cheeks flushed. Okay, so maybe he was a little strange. In fact, he wouldn't have blamed Sydni for running off down the beach at full speed, fleeing for her own sanity.

It was odd- Simon had never been this chatty with stangers before he'd come to this school. Heck, he hadn't even been this chatty with his own friends. There was something about being at Halcyon Halls that made him feel... welcomed. Like he could trust these people because if they ever discovered his secret- his ability to maipulate fire- the biggest reaction he would get would probably be "So what?" And that was a huge relief.

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-10 01:24 pm UTC (link)
Sydni looked at her company with a strange but amused look as he playacted his little story. When he got to peeing on the damsel in distress, she laughed, "Ewww," but the smile stayed on her lips. This kid was bizarre, but amusing. It was kinda neat that he wasn't afraid to be so goofy around a total stranger.

"Well, I dunno. I can't imagine being whisked away by someone who just peed on me. Even if he did save my life." She again chuckled out an "Eww" as she shook her head. "And that is soo not a Lifetime movie - there are no bodily functions of that sort in a Lifetime movie. Too vulgar." She grinned. It was true, though. No one used the bathroom in one of those silly dramas.

By now, they had walked quite a distance, and Sydni wanted to get in a shower and she wanted to make a run by Charlie's room with the notes she had photocopied for him from the first day of class. Food would be nice, too. "You wanna head back? No rush. Just I have things to do before class."

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-11 09:03 pm UTC (link)
"Yeah, sure, we can head back!" Simon agreed enthusiastically. "I didn't mean to keep you from whatever you need to do. Truth be told, I just needed to get out of my room, and I'm used to getting up early anyway, so I figured I'd explore the grounds." He smiled kindly at her. "I like you, Sydni, if I may be so bold. You make me feel very comfortable."

And it was true. So far Simon hadn't really talked to anyone, but he had feared that perhaps the supernatural races weren't as hospitable as humans. It seemed silly to assume so, but there it was. Besides, if you really thought about it, most of humanity wasn't all that decent.

"I'm actually starting to get hungry," he confessed. "We must have been out here awhile now."

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-13 06:12 pm UTC (link)
"I just need to get ready before class and all." Sydni's features softened and she returned his kind smile. "Thank you, Simon. It's been a pleasure meeting you, as well. I live in the House of Fire if you need anything."

Aside from being a bit nutty, he seemed to have a calming effect on Sydni, too. She had come out here restless due to the full moon, but now she felt calmer. Although she was getting antsy because she didn't want to be late. If there was one thing Sydni was, it was punctual. She tended to arrive early to everything, too. Not only was being late rude, but it made you the center of attention. And Sydni hated that.

Pausing, Sydni thought for a minute. She could rearrange her schedule a bit. "Let's get breakfast at the Lunch Hall then, and I'll finish getting ready after that."

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-15 07:50 pm UTC (link)
"Sounds perfect. I'm actually pretty hungry. Education does that to me." He smiled, showing her that he was joking, although it wasn't entirely untrue. Simon did like to learn new things and satisfying his appetite for knowledge usually worked up an actual appetite.

As they walked back toward the school, a light bulb suddenly popped on in SImon's head. "Hey, you're in one of my classes, aren't you? Supernatural Races: Fact and Fiction, right?" He tried seeing the class roster in his mind's eye, and he was fairly certain her face leapt to mind. "I was kind of busy staring into my notebook so I'm not entirely positive, but I think I remember seeing you. Am I right?"

This revelation seemed promising. With luck, their friendship could be based on something more than a beach and dead sea animals. He could come see her under the guise of needing class notes, or help with homework. That was assuming, of course, that he would feel the need for an excuse to see her aside from wanting to say hello. He was starting to think that he wouldn't.

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-16 11:43 am UTC (link)
Sydni had to laugh at his comment. It was cute. And learning was definitely work. Although, Sydni had the tendency to forget basic things like eating when she was involved in something about which she was really passionate. Or when she was reading. If she spent the whole day undisturbed in her room reading, she wouldn't eat. Not on purpose, but books were so incredible!

Thinking, Sydni nodded, "Yeah, probably. I mean, I take that class, so unless there's another section..." Sydni rarely knew those who were in her classes unless they spoke up in class. She paid very close attention to students who had something to say - you could learn as much from them as the teacher. Being so shy, she never got to meet her other classmates, though, and they all kinda melded into one unrecognizable body of people.

Once Sydni considered you "friend", there was nothing she wouldn't do for you. There was no need to have an excuse to see her. She'd gladly help him with homework if he asked, though. It seemed she'd been teaching a lot of people here at the school.

Reaching the school at least, Sydni opened the door and let him through first. "I hope they're serving hot breakfast already. I could really use some sausage." She was craving meat like crazy, and her unintentional innuendo didn't register at all as she thought about a plate heaping with eggs, bacon, sausage... All the other breakfast meats. Ooo, Canadian bacon, which was really ham, but still... She licked her lips thinking about it.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-16 08:47 pm UTC (link)
Any innuendo, intended or not, was completely lost on Simon. Having grown up with an overly strict, fanatically Christian mother, Sydni could've told him she wanted his heaping man sausage for a hot beef injection, all the while licking her lips and batting her eyes seductively, and Simon would have informed her seriously that he had no sausage on him and even if he did wasn't sure how you'd inject something like that into a person. It would be an amusing conversation for outside spectators if Simon and Sydni were to discuss in the ins and outs of sausages, all the while comlpetely clueless as to the heavily-ladened innuendo.

"I know what you mean by wanting a hot meal," Simon agreed. "Being a teenager I've eaten my weight in cereal during only the past year. Don't get me wrong, I love cereal, but nothing beats a heaping plate of eggs and meat." He made a nod of thanks as Sydni held the door for him. It felt odd letting a girl hold the door for him, but he knew enough about feminism and equal rights and all that to argue about it. You never knew who would be the kind of person to be offended by an innocent act of chivalry. (Or as some radicals would put it, male chauvanism.)

"It'll be nice to have someone to talk to at a meal," Simon admitted as they neared the dining hall. "I feel so foolish just sitting alone staring into space, so I bring a book with me so it looks like I'm too busy reading to talk to anyone. Course, I only brought about three books with me from home and I've read them all at least fifty times, so I'm basically just staring into the book blankly instead of into space." He shrugged. "I guess I could start reading a text book for class, but then someone might come ask me about it. I'd like to make friends, don't get me wrong, but I'm still so confused about this whole 'supernatural' thing that I don't know what I'd say if someone asked me a question. Probably end up sounding like an idiot."

He was well aware that acting too busy to be approached was counterproductive to his desire to start his life anew in a strange new place, but old habits died hard. He was a shy boy by nature and looking ridiculous was one of his top fears, right up there with drowning and accidentally setting someone on fire.

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-17 09:36 am UTC (link)
If the conversation had continued, Sydni would eventually have noticed the innuendo. She was oblivious on occasion, but she didn't often pass up recognizing a good innuendo.

Holding the door had nothing to do with feminism. She had reached it first, so she held it open for him. It was polite. Granted, she wasn't often around anyone who was chivalrous. That much had been obvious on her first evening with Charlie and she had gotten all bungled when he held the door for her. The one thing she did expect almost she had seen her dad do - he always opened the car door for her mother. Always, even after remote locks. It was subtle, but it was very sweet, and she thought it showed how much he still loved her to treat her still like a princess.

"I have extra books. What kind do you like? Plus, I imagine the library here has a bunch. And I wouldn't worry about the confused part - there are born supernaturals here, but I think there are also 'new' supernaturals, or at least, new to the supernatural world. It's the new semester, too. A lot of people are new right now, and just as confused." Sydni paused for a moment as she continued walking. She knew all the shy-person tricks, too. "You know reading like that means people won't come over and talk to you right? Sounds like you want company. It's kinda counterproductive."

As soon as they reached the caf, Syd loaded her plate with all the meat she could get. And eggs. And a breakfast sandwich. Those things were the most perfect breakfast food ever. She stayed close to Simon, to not break their conversation, and then grabbed some water as they found an empty table. Not hard to do this early in the morning. All the food was piping hot, too, because it was really the first batch of the day. Yummy.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-18 07:31 am UTC (link)
Simon couldn't help but watch Sydni in a kind of fascination as she piled heaps of breakfast meats onto her plate. He had never seen a woman put so much on her plate. Having come fresh from high school, most of the girls he knew were too terrified that they'd gain a pound, and therefore stuck to saltine crackers and diet water for every meal.

Simon made a simple selection of classic breakfast foods- pancakes, eggs over easy, homefries and white toast lightly buttered. He decided to take some inititative and selected a table for them to sit at. It was a corner table so they could see everyone coming in and going out. Simon smiled a bit- in movies, mysterious assasins and spies always chose corner tables so they could watch their target enter the establishment. He debated telling Sydni about his random musings, but decided against it. Save that for a later breakfast date.

"I know that sitting all alone with my nose in a book is pretty antisocial," he admitted as he plopped down into his seat. "But what if I sat there all by myself and no one bothered to come say hello?" His smile faded. "I guess I'd rather look stand-offish than pathetic." He started cutting his food very carefully, first slicing his eggs in one direction and then the opposite. Onec they were all diced and the yolks were running all over the plate, he mixed in the homefries and scooped up a bite. "So, I hope you don't mind my asking," he said once he'd swallowed his food, "but does all that meat on your plate have anything to do with the upcoming full moon?"

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-18 08:29 am UTC (link)
Actually, sitting in the corner like that was nearly second nature to Sydni. She also liked to see the flow of traffic into and out of the caf, but her dad had always liked to sit where he could he see all the exits, and the majority of people. He wanted to be able to see trouble coming, if it ever came to that. He'd actually saved a couple lives off duty. Luckily, he'd never had to draw his weapon, which he was required to carry with him at all times. He would have done it anyway if it weren't required, Sydni was fairly certain.

Sydni shrugged a bit. She'd sat alone quite often in college. She always chose a table near a window so she could look out. Kept her mind occupied so she didn't sit there and fee pathetic. "It's not pathetic," she said after a moment. "Sit near a window so you can look out." Maybe it wouldn't do it for him, but she thought maybe it would give him more of a chance.

Sydni had her own little ritual for her food, as well. Firstly, nothing on her plate touched. All the sausage was in one nice little pile, same with the eggs and bacon - each in its own little pile. She put the sausage on its own plate, really a saucer for a teacup, and drizzled maple syrup over the pile. Then she took her breakfast sandwich and centered it on the English muffin. She was too preoccupied in her own preparations to notice Simon's.

She did mind, but she'd just told him that people here would answer his questions. She wasn't going to be the first person to shut him down. She grew quiet for a moment, and then admitted, "Yeah." Suddenly, she felt a lot less hungry. Correction, part of her demanded she mow down, immediately, and the other part threatened that, if she did, it would come right back up. The part demanding she eat immediately was very strong right now, but the other part, the part that hated what she was, was making her stomach churn. Trying to force her stomach to settle, she set down the sandwich she was about to eat, and poked at her eggs and bacon.

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-20 06:36 pm UTC (link)
All men have an instinct built into their brains. It is a vital survival instinct that has been passed onto the Y chromosome for generations. This is the instinct that tells a man he has just said something very insensitive that has upset a member of the opposite sex.

Simon fidgeted a bit, feeling the guilt take its toll on his psyche. It had been a real stupid question to ask. Of course Sydni would mind his asking! She had been pretty clear about the fact that she didn't like being a werewolf and that having it mentioned upset her greatly. Simon hadn't meant to make her unhappy, as she clearly was now. He was just so garsh darn curious about weres and their habits. That makes you sound like you think she's a case study! he scolded himself. Like you're Jane Goodall and she's a monkey! He felt so ashamed.

Suddenly, his usual homefries and eggs wasn't looking too good. But if he didn't eat then Sydni would feel like she upset him, and then she'd feel even worse. So he stoically took a bite and chewed slowly, debating what he should say next. The next move was critical. "One time," he said quietly after he'd finished chewing, "when I was about four or five, I accidentally set a couch on fire." He didn't want to meet her eyes, so he had to assume she was listening to him. "My mom had a candle lit in the living room. I found out later it was a test to see what I would do with the fire. I thought it was really pretty, so I tried touching it. The flame kinda leaned toward me and got bigger. I was sitting on the couch. The fire got too close and I got scared, but by then it was too late." He gave a feeble half-smile. "Four thousand dollars worth of Italian silk, gone in fifteen minutes. My mother was so angry. And scared, I guess." He looked up at Sydni consolingly. "It's pretty scary," he said, "knowing you could hurt someone without wanting to."

The point of his story was to show Sydni that she wasn't alone, and that maybe she felt bad about being a werewolf but at least there were other people who felt ashamed and frightened of who they were. That, and he had hoped the idea of a ridiculously expensive couch being burned by a toddler would make her smile.

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-20 07:03 pm UTC (link)
Sydni resisted asking the question why his mother would put a flame out to test a child like that. Even if his mother was used to flames, it was dangerous, obviously. He had set the couch on fire. But he did earn a smile from her. A gentle smile, acknowledging that, not only did he make her feel better, but she understood his message. "I'm glad no one was hurt. Other than the couch, and someone's wallet," she attempted. Still smiling, she picked up her sandwich and took a bite. Her stomach was still a bit grouchy, so she didn't eat with as much gusto as usual before a full moon, but she still needed to chow down.

Attempting to continue conversation, so Simon didn't feel bad or out of place, Sydni continued, "You should talk to Frankie. She's a fire sprite. Really friendly. She's a friend of mine, and a really good person. She's in the House of Fire, of course." Frankie was a really good person, and she figured Simon could use some good people as friends.

Sydni continued to clean her plate, eating the majority of what she had piled on. Once she was done, she checked her watch. She did need to shower, and run by Terrene House with the notes for Charlie. "What do you say? Head back to House of Fire? I gotta get ready for the day."

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[info]simon_curtis
2008-07-21 12:54 pm UTC (link)
Simon already knew that Sydni would want to ask why on Earth his mother had done such a foolish thing. The truth was, he couldn't rightly tell her. He didn't know the full reason himself, although he could wager a guess. His mom had been in denial. It had only been a few months before that Simon had first manipulated the fire in their back yard, and Adrianne was probably trying to prove to herself that it had been a dream, that Simon hadn't really done what both she and her husband had seen him do. The delusion had cost her a sofa.

Simon was glad, though, that his story seemed to break the ice and Sydni seemed more at ease. Now his own breakfast tasted delicious again. He watched Sydni eat- not overtly so as to make her uneasy, but enough so he could make sure she was actually consuming what was on her plate and that it wasn't a magic trick. He was impressed- most girls he knew hardly ate anythign at all. It was refreshing to see a woman who wasn't falling victim to stupid media requirements. Simon was liking Sydni more and more with each passing moment.

"You go ahead," he said when Sydni asked him back the the House of Fire. "I think I'll try one of those breakfast sandwiches you've just eaten. Looks really good, actually." He smiled warmly at her. "So... will I be seeing you around?" He certainly hoped this wasn't a one-time thing.

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[info]silvermoonlady
2008-07-21 01:11 pm UTC (link)
Even if it weren't the full moon in two days, Sydni would have eaten a hearty breakfast. It was her favorite meal, and when she lived on her own, she rarely made a hot breakfast. Protein bar to go, thank you very much. But now that hot breakfast was available every day, she gladly partook. Aside from that, her life was generally active, and she didn't really need to watch what she ate anyway.

Sydni smiled and nodded. "Sure. We're in the same House, right? And we have a class together. It would be nice to hang out sometime, too." With that, she gave a little wave, picked up her tray, and dumped it on the way out. Simon seemed like a nice kid.

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