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Tweak says, "I"

Zach Kitano (coalintodiamond) wrote in nosuchtimes,
@ 2008-02-27 01:15:00

Entry tags:

adrienne conté, zach kitano

The History of Zach and Adrienne: Take 4
Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Friday, February 2, 2007. Nighttime around 8:00 PM-ish.
Where: Commons area near the Kitchens
What: Movie Night

After spending a good portion of his day by Adrienne’s side, Zach currently found himself sitting alone in one of the many commons areas around the school — and waiting to see Adrienne yet again for what would be the third time today. He had attended the assembly, sitting beside her through that, and had also joined her for the memorial service in the auditorium that ended not too long ago. Zach hadn’t known the people who had passed away, but there was still a sinking feeling inside of him somewhere that couldn’t be ignored.

He couldn’t imagine how it would feel to lose someone he cared about. Thinking about his family, and even the new friends he had just made, a poignant emptiness gripped coldly at his insides at the mere idea that something could happen to them at any moment. Already he had grown partial to a handful of people here. Zach wasn’t ever the emotional type, but always he wanted to protect people that mattered to him. It was possibly the only real time when he couldn’t lie, even if he wanted to do so desperately. Take care of people. His mother, the idol that she was to him, had taught him that.

All of their names had echoed earlier in his head like a mantra during the service as he sat next to Adrienne, and he had remembered holding her hand at some point. Who had taken whose hand was beyond his memory. However, he was refusing to think on the darker aspects of today. Zach was going to have fun now. Adrienne was supposed to show up soon, and she had picked out their movie. Popcorn sat on the table, freshly popped in the kitchen, still hot, and lightly buttered. Its enticing aroma filled the common room.

Zach was lounging on a very cushiony and comfortable sofa in his winter pajamas with some throws taken directly from his room. There were no pillows. He hadn’t planned on pillows for a reason. They weren’t really needed when the two people involved had agreed that using each other as pillows was just fine. A small smirk crept onto his face at that, and he tilted his head back to see if he could spot anyone coming. Specifically, Adrienne.

Valentine’s Day. There was that, too. Everyone had been talking about getting dates for the dance, while Zach had purposefully not mentioned that yet. He knew who he wanted to ask, and he wanted it to be surprise when he did. Well, as much as a surprise as it could be, considering how much time they had been spending around each other ever since they had met. Hoping he wasn’t too late and that she would say yes, Zach waited for her to arrive.

He would ask Adrienne tonight in person — and the idea, honestly, scared him shitless.

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cursedwithfur
2008-02-27 07:38 am UTC (link)

The day had passed by fairly slowly in Adrienne's opinion. The assembly was somber, yet informative and the thought of death permeated Adrienne's mind. She had faked her own death to her parents and they had to grieve for her even though she was still alive. The thought of her actions caused her heart to ache with immense guilt and tears began to well up in her eyes. She bit them back, though, not wanting to cry in front of her friends, especially Zach.

It was nice spending time with him again even under such morbid circumstances. And the more she got to know him, the more she liked him. Of course, if he felt the same way was an entirely different matter. But there was a moment when it seemed the spark between them was real and not just a result of their awkward kiss. It was a simple gesture of holding hands during one of the quiet moments in the memorial service. Adrienne couldn't remember who reached for whom first, but all she knew was that when she looked down their hands were intertwined.

And now after all of that, they were going to hang out for the third time today. Not that Adrienne minded at all since she truly did enjoy his company. At least this time around there wouldn't be anything to make them sad or somber; it would just be a happy fun time watching Boondock Saints, one of Adrienne's favorite movies.

She showered after the memorial service was over and dressed in her penguin pajamas and wearing light blue fleece socks. She tied her dark hair into two braids and when she gathered her things (a blanket and some candy) she made her way toward the common room near the kitchens. Adrienne was smiling broadly when she saw Zach sitting on the couch and in a moment of excitement she shuffled forward in her leopard slippers. She reached to hug Zach from behind the couch and pressed her cheek against his.

"I didn't keep you waiting long, did I?"

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coalintodiamond
2008-02-27 07:44 am UTC (link)

Something that he couldn’t have answered right now was exactly what he felt towards Adrienne. Zach knew that he liked her. He knew that he enjoyed spending time with her. Her attention and affection were things he wasn’t used to anymore from anyone other than his mom and his sister, but she made him like them again. It would still take some time getting used to, though. Zach constantly found himself surprised, although satisfied, whenever she closed any distance between them. After all, he was so used to distance.

Adrienne was contagious. She could be best described as a bundle of sunshine that made everything she touched glitter. It was a funny analogy to make in his head because, well, he was an alchemist. She brought brightness with her, something he had not known very well for an extremely long time. While he enjoyed the company he had with a lot of other people, his heart raced when she was near and his mind couldn’t think straight whenever she touched him or got too close to him.

Zach wasn’t sure what it was because he had never felt it before. His mind almost wanted to chalk it up to teenage hormones, but no, he was pretty sure it was something more than that. What the more part was, though, remained the mystery that he couldn’t figure out.

As a result, he partook in her company — wanting desperately to figure it out. At the moment, however, they were still just friends. Asking her to the dance didn’t have to be a date either unless she wanted it to be, which he didn’t know how he’d learn her thoughts on that one.

A grin spread across Zach’s face when he saw Adrienne approaching, although her profile was upside down. He lifted his head as she came over, not expecting her to wrap her arms around him and hug him. “Hey,” he said, her cheek pressed against his as he spoke. Zach would’ve turned to face her if he could, but he liked her affectionate touches better. “No, I haven’t been here that long.”

He wondered what movie she had picked for them to watch and what else she had brought along for their movie night. Zach had gotten a glimpse of her pajamas as she hurried over, and they had been part of the reason for his grin. Penguins. His own pajamas were flannel and plaid with a pattern made of dark red and black.

“What movie did you bring?” Zach asked her.

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cursedwithfur
2008-02-27 07:59 am UTC (link)

Adrienne knew that she liked Zach. She could say that without having to think twice about it. Whether or not it was more than that she didn't know yet, but she had a feeling that it had the chance to go beyond more than just liking him. And that scared her. She had given away her feelings too quickly before and it had ended with her getting hurt. Adrienne didn't want that to happen here, for her sake and for Zach's. Hurt feelings only turned into bitterness and that never did anyone any good.

So she wanted to take her time with Zach, get a feel for things and give him the time to figure out his own feelings as well. Hopefully, their paths would reach the same end and then they could figure things out together. But first they had this movie night and she was going to focus on that.

She hadn't planned on hugging him when she got there, but seeing him on the couch she just couldn't help herself. There was something about him that made her want to be near him and touching him in one way or another. Be it through holding hands, leaning against him, or pressing her cheek to his as she was doing. It felt nice to be close and it made her heart beat just a little bit faster.

"Mmm, I'm glad." She said before she pulled away from him to sit next to him on the couch. She flopped down with ease and tossed her blanket to the side. He had set everything up for their get together and had even made the popcorn like he promised. She reached for her blanket when Zach asked about the movie. She handed it to him just as she pulled the blanket into her lap.

"Boondock Saints." There was a wicked sparkle in her eye and a smile that told how much she loved the movie. "I don't know if you've ever seen it, but it's a great movie." She sat cross-legged facing Zach, smiling. God he was cute and she wanted so badly to just hug him and kiss him, but self-restraint told her otherwise. This was not the time to act foolishly so she waited to see Zach's reaction to the movie.

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coalintodiamond
2008-02-27 08:05 am UTC (link)

Zach kept his eyes on her as she went around the couch and took a seat — or more like fell with a plop — on the sofa beside him. He chewed on the inside of his lip, a small smile on his face as Adrienne tugged her blanket into her lap and handed the movie over to him. Taking it from her hand, Zach glanced over the cover.

He glanced up, catching the sparkle in her eyes as she mentioned its name. He hadn’t ever seen it before that he could remember, flipping it over to look at the back. “I don’t think I have,” he told her, his eyes lifted to hers again. Zach wanted her tell him more than he wanted to sit there and read the back. It was an excuse to look at her without giving away that he was staring at her, but he was sure he failed miserably at that already. “What’s it about?”

Adrienne appeared so giddy and cheerful that Zach wasn’t sure what to make of it at first. Her choice of attire and the two braids in her hair were nothing less than absolute innocence, and yet his mind still wandered. He wanted to kiss her again, that he knew, but it would only complicate things and Zach didn’t want that. As much as he wanted to close that very personal distance between them, he wouldn’t do something like that with, or to, Adrienne just because he had a physical urge. She deserved better than that. Since Zach wasn’t sure what it was he felt towards her, he wasn’t going to risk it just being his hormones and use her like that. She was Adrienne. Someone like her deserved a boyfriend, not a groping session with someone she had just met.

In order to clear his thoughts, Zach got up from the sofa with the movie to walk over and put it in to begin it. He turned out the biggest of the lights, but there were still some smaller ones left on to give a faint dim glow to the room that wouldn’t affect the screen of the television. Heading back over to the sofa, he picked up his throws and sat down close beside her. There was nothing wrong with that. Her side was warm against him, and it felt nice without being sexual. Just comforting.

Zach pulled the throws from his room onto himself and nestled in place. He didn’t have the heightened senses that werewolves had once they settled into their element, but he could still smell her when they were this close. That was nice, too. It was probably her shampoo.

He remembered what he had told Starbuck earlier in their chat. It seemed best to clue in the guy since he was a good friend of Adrienne. Starbuck seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and Zach didn’t want any bad blood between them. He felt the more honest he was with Starbuck, knowing how close the other was to Adrienne, the less of a chance he would ever have of accidentally incurring Starbuck’s wrath somehow. A nice and honest guy wouldn’t ever hurt Adrienne, right?

Zach figured it would be best to tell Adrienne as well. He cleared his throat slightly and glanced over, his eyes focused on a penguin upon the shoulder of her pajamas. “I told Starbuck I . . . kinda kissed you,” Zach said softly, glancing up towards Adrienne’s face to see what her reaction would be.

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cursedwithfur
2008-02-27 08:07 am UTC (link)

"Oh wow, Boondock Saints is just..." she paused, a huge grin upon her face. She noticed that he was staring at her, or was it that he was paying attention to what she was saying. It was nice either way and she couldn't help but blush ever so slightly. "Well it's about these two brothers who are convinced that God has given them a mission to take care of crime in the city." She chewed on her lower lip as she watched his face carefully. "It's really good, lots of action." Adrienne's eyebrows bounced playfully as she held onto her blanket.

It was cute to see Zach in flannel pajamas. The entire atmosphere was completely relaxed and comfortable and just plain cozy. The scene she envisioned in her mind made her smile softly and she wondered if snuggling close to him during the movie would be too much of an invasive move. She didn't want to invade his personal space unless he was okay with it, but Adrienne was a touchy-feely sort of girl. Not that she was going to molest Zach or anything, but she enjoyed physical contact with her friends, male or female. A hug, holding hands, or linking arms were all small signs of Adrienne's affections. Though the difference between friends, really close friends, and people Adrienne was interested in was the amount of time the physical contact lasted.

Of course in this case her affections for Zach were in the "really interested" realm and that only made her want of contact stronger. But she wasn't about to cross that line and risk jeopardizing what she hoped would be a potential relationship since she really liked Zach.

She smiled at him as he moved to start the movie and turn off the lights to reduce the glare on the tv. Or was it to create a more intimate atmosphere? She was a bit curious but not enough to pursue it. When he took his place back on the couch he was closer to her than before and Adrienne smiled inwardly at the small gesture. In response, she shifted so she was a little closer to him before she opened the blanket over her body. She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them lightly, her chin resting on her crossed forearms.

The previews had just begun to play when Zach spoke up about talking to Starbuck. She smiled broadly, cheeks flushed with a soft pink hue as she was touched that he would talk to Starbuck, the guy who was Adrienne's closest friend. Was he looking to get more information on herself from Starbuck or was he forging friendships with the people who were close to her? Either way Adrienne thought that his gesture showed his genuine interest in her.

"You talked to Starbuck?" She bit her lower lip shyly and then smiled. "And you told him what happened, huh?" Another smile and a small giggle. "What did he say?"

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coalintodiamond
2008-02-27 08:08 am UTC (link)

He noticed she ceased talking for a moment, her eyes fixed on him and a wide grin appearing on her face. Thrown at the reason for her look, though not showing it, Zach kept his gaze steady without revealing he had picked up on her change before she began to speak again. The more time he spent around her, the better he got at learning how to control what he wanted her to see and what he didn’t want her to see. It always took a little time of figuring out the other person before he could effectively do that around new people.

Her description of the movie sounded interesting, and Zach made it a point of his to attempt to at least watch some of it. He wasn’t sure how distracted he just might be as he planned on asking her to the dance tonight. Briefly, he wondered if that would be appropriate during an action movie. If there was a gunfight scene, it might even be hilarious to ask her to the Valentine’s Day dance then. It would certainly take away some of the tension he felt and keep the mood light without making things far too serious.

Knowing what he did of Adrienne, he knew she would find it amusing as well. Some girls might be offended if you didn’t do it in an entirely romantic way, but Zach was trying to avoid making things romantic at this point.

Turning off the lights seemed like the best thing to do. It would remove any glare from the television, but it was also nighttime and Zach liked low lights at night. Aside from that, he was with Adrienne and it was a whole lot more comfortable to be around her if his every move couldn’t be observed or watched like a hawk. He imagined there were still students wandering around, and this was an open common room. The less any other people could see, the better it was for his ease. Zach didn’t like his personal business being scrutinized. Adrienne nestled closer to him after he had settled beside her. It was encouraging for him that closeness wasn’t an issue.

In truth, Zach hadn’t known Starbuck and Adrienne were friends until he saw their comments to each on the journals. He had already talked to Starbuck a time before and also met him in person on Wednesday. Zach eventually put two and two together and figured they were friends. In their chat earlier, he had just found out they were closer than he thought. He was already befriending the other guy before he knew of the relation between Starbuck and Adrienne. Revealing what he did to Starbuck just happened without any sort of plan behind it.

“Yeah,” Zach admitted, “I talked to him earlier today. I wasn’t really . . . planning on saying anything. It just came out.” Which was the truth. He had only realized it was probably for the best afterwards. Adrienne giggled, and Zach smirked. “He was actually really nice about it. Although, he did do a really good job of giving me the classic brotherly threat.”

The smile was still there on his face. Zach’s eyes flitted over to her pajamas again and the penguin pattern upon them. He brought one of his hands to her shoulder, placing a finger on one of the designs. “You have penguins on your pajamas,” Zach stated suddenly. It was the obvious, but he couldn’t help it.

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cursedwithfur
2008-02-27 08:10 am UTC (link)

Adrienne knew what it meant to hide what you were thinking simply by keeping your expression steady. She was practically an expert at it except when it came to blushing and guys. That was a physical reaction and though she tried the littlest of crimson would always seep through. But unlike other girls Adrienne would try to keep her gaze steady instead of the typical turning away giggling response.

The lowered lights did protect their privacy and Adrienne couldn't complain about that. The last thing she wanted was for some nosy students to come in and bug them relentlessly. Plus it lent to the whole movie theater atmosphere. It was nice and it made her want to snuggle even closer. And well, he didn't seem to mind the closeness when she scooted closer.

Well it didn't matter how he met Starbuck, it was still nice that he talked to him about it, accidentally or not. Though Adrienne supposed that Starbuck was just that kind of guy, easy to talk to. But, of course, he just had to pull the big-brother act.

"The big brother speech, huh?" She shook her head and laughed. "Well, I hope that didn't scare you off." Adrienne's wrinkled her nose playfully and then smiled. She watched his eyes as they traced over her PJs and then his finger touch the cute little penguin. Her eyes moved up to his and her finger moved to his shoulder to the simple squares. "And you have squares..." she teased. "Red and black ones." A smirk tugged on her lips and she traced the shape lightly.

"Do you like penguins? I had other PJs but today felt like a penguin day." She wiggled her feet from under the blanket to reveal her slippers. "But these don't match." She laughed and kicked them off to the floor and pulled her feet back under her blanket.

"Ah this movie is great!" She said as it automatically passed the menu and went straight to the movie. "I'm excited. I haven't watched it in a while."

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coalintodiamond
2008-02-27 08:11 am UTC (link)

Gazing downwards at his lap, Zach felt a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth. “Not really,” he said, his head lifting and eyes flitting towards her again. “I mean, if it scared me off, I probably wouldn’t be here for fear that Starbuck would show up and kill me for getting you into your oh so sexy penguin pajamas . . . ” He couldn’t help it; he laughed out loud at that, his head tilting backwards against the sofa.

She copied the movements of his own hand, reaching out to trace one of the squares on his nightshirt. The light touch of her finger following the pattern tingled against his shoulder. Zach couldn’t help but smile at her teasing tone. “I have squares because squares are awesome,” he joked. “And so is red and black. It’s very Freddy Kruegerish of me, isn’t it?” He raised his eyebrows, waiting to see her response.

“Because it’s cold?” Zach asked with a grin at her insistence that it felt like penguin day. He looked back to the screen for a moment. “Yeah, I like penguins,” he told her. “Penguins are cool creatures.” It was a totally random thing to mention, but he actually did like them.

At her mention of something not matching and a wriggle from her end, Zach quickly glanced over to see what in the world she was doing. Her feet popped out from beneath the blanket, revealing orange and black leopard slippers. Zach was surprised and found himself laughing quietly as she kicked them off and curled under the blanket again.

He leaned back into the sofa as she announced the movie was beginning. He made a soft shushing sound and took the popcorn onto the couch with them. There were drinks on the table, too. They were actually able to watch a good portion of the movie in silence. Zach was actually enjoying it, and he put aside the popcorn after a while and found himself leaning against Adrienne’s side.

Eventually, there was a scene in a hotel of sorts where the two brothers fell through the ceiling and began shooting everyone around them. Zach remembered he had to ask Adrienne to the dance before the movie was over. He bit his lip temporarily, swallowed in preparation, and turned to look at her.

“Adrienne?” he asked, fairly close to her ear as they had drifted towards each other during the movie.

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cursedwithfur
2008-02-27 08:12 am UTC (link)

Adrienne couldn't help but smirk at Zach as he said he wasn't scared. At least he knew that Starbuck only had her best interest at heart, and she knew that Zach was willing to go forth even with Starbuck's 'threat' hanging overhead. Though Adrienne wasn't sure just how far Starbuck would go if Zach did hurt her? Not that she expected he would, but she just couldn't see Starbuck beating on Zach especially since they were friends.

"I'm glad you recognize that these jammies, are super sexy." She said proudly even as he laughed. "And the fact that you think they're sexy means that my wicked wicked plan to seduce you is working." She winked at him cheekily and smiled before she started giggling herself.

And his response to his own squares was even better. She arched a brow at his Freddy Kreuger comment and nodded. "Oh yes, red and black is very Freddy. But I guess that means you'll be entering my dreams later, hrm?" She poked his side playfully and then looked back down at her penguin PJs. Adrienne was quite proud of them since they were VERY cute.

"Definitely, penguins for cold weather. And for cuddling," she said as she settled closer to him. She had already kicked off her slippers when a sudden feeling of worry filled her and she thought that maybe he might not like how close she was. And she was about to ask him but he leaned forward to get the popcorn. Adrienne shifted herself to sit close to him as the opening credits rolled and her hand slowly went to the bowl of popcorn. She took a few of the popped kernals in between her fingers and popped them into her mouth. There were a few instances where her and Zach's fingers brushed against each other in the bowl. Complete innocence, of course, but a part of her really did want to hold his hand. Holding hands wasn't kissing or making out, after all, and it was a completely friendly gesture.

The movie played without any interruption from them or anyone else. It was completely relaxing to sit there with him in her PJs, both comfortable in the silence that surrounded them. Of course there was the movie to consider especially since Zach had never seen it. But Adrienne often found that there were some people who could not rest easy in silences; she was glad that Zach wasn't one of those people.

In fact, they had been leaning closer to each other with every minute it seemed. Not that Adrienne minded in the least, especially if that meant that she'd eventually lean far enough to use him as a pillow. He did say he didn't mind, right? The last thing she expected, however, was for him to turn and whisper her name so close to her ear. It sent shivers up and down her arm and neck and she giggled.

She bit her lower lip. "That tickles," she said as she turned to face him. They were really close to each other considering how close Zach was to her ear when he spoke. But Adrienne kept her cool and just smiled. "Zach?" She said in the same way. She had contemplated calling him by his full name, but she wasn't sure how he would react to it since he always introduced himself as 'Zach'. She blinked at couple of times, wondering why he had said her name in the first place.

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coalintodiamond
2008-02-27 08:14 am UTC (link)

Zach hadn’t really thought on Starbuck’s threat at all. It seemed like a mandatory thing that a brother-like figure would say. Plus, it was said to him in an online chat, so maybe it didn’t go to his head like it should have gone and went in one ear and out the other. Besides, there wasn’t any intention that Zach had of hurting Adrienne. They weren’t currently in a relationship, though there was that one kiss — but did that count as the beginning of something in Starbuck’s mind? Zach didn’t know because he hadn’t spent any time thinking on it.

Maybe it did count because he was attracted to Adrienne, and she seemed genuinely attracted to him. What if it turned out one of them didn’t have feelings for the other, though? Would that count as hurting the other if they didn’t pursue a relationship together? All you had to do was hurt someone’s feelings in order to probably incur the wrath of someone’s best friend. Again, Zach didn’t really think about it.

As his laughing halted, he lifted his head up again and turned to give her a proper silly grin. “Scandalous,” Zach said in reply to her ‘wicked, wicked plan’ to supposedly seduce him. His voice drawled out the word in a lazy manner, and his lips were drawn back to reveal a grin full of pearly teeth. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at her. He couldn’t ever recall a time when he had acted like this, but he didn’t have time to think about it because his mind was focused on the present, not the past.

He reflexively twitched away from her touch as she poked his side because it tickled like crazy. “Hey, hey!” he warned, laughing. “That tickles.” Zach waited until she showed no signs of poking him again when he settled back into place against her. “Hmm, we’ll have to see about that. Whenever we wake up tomorrow, you can tell me whether or not I appeared in your dreams.”

Adrienne mentioned cuddling and scooted closer, which Zach really didn’t mind at all. However, he was still a bit uncomfortable with her mentioning things out loud. The contact didn’t bother him, but sometimes he felt talking about things changed everything. He just wanted to be close to her in silence, so maybe they could figure this out without putting a name to it yet.

When he had turned to whisper her name, Zach hadn’t thought he was that close. Not until Adrienne suddenly giggled and turned to him, her teeth biting onto her lower lip, to announce that it did indeed tickle her. Her attitude was so contagious that he matched her expression and the smile on her face. Really, how many times was he going to smile at her in one night? Adrienne said his name, and he looked her in the eyes for a moment before his gaze fell down. It might be easier to ask if he wasn’t meeting her eyes.

Avoiding eye contact was pretty weak, though. One of Zach’s hands fiddled with the tassels hanging from the edges of the throws laid out across him. His head rose to her level again, and he looked her straight in the eyes.

“ . . . Would you like to go to the dance with me?”

There. He said it. It was over and done, the hardest part finished. He should feel better now, relieved that he had gotten it out, but Zach’s anxiety only seemed to shoot through the roof in that moment as he gazed at her. He swore his heart felt like it wanted to burst out of his chest from the pressure. Don’t say no, don’t pull away, his panicked mind asked of her, hoping somehow she could hear his thoughts.

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cursedwithfur
2008-02-27 08:15 am UTC (link)

"Scandalous? Me?" She tossed a braid over her shoulder dramatically and laughed. "Why, I'm the epitome of innocence." Adrienne batted her lashes to illustrate her point. "Anyone wearing penguin pajamas can't be that scandalous, even if she is trying to seduce someone." She couldn't help but let out another laugh as she finished her little speech. It was just far too funny to hold in and she was having far too much fun hamming it up.

Adrienne had no idea that Zach was ticklish when she poked his side, but the moment he twitched away and started laughing she got the most devilish glint in her eyes. She would have kept at it but she didn't want to risk upsetting him. She knew of some people who got super angry when it came to tickling; Adrienne never understood why, of course, unless it was a detriment to the other person, which it couldn't be unless the 'tickler' kept going to the point where the other person couldn't breathe. But Adrienne never went that far, she knew her limits when it came to her friends.

Her limit when it came to her words was a completely different story. There were times when she would blurt out the wrong things at the most inappropriate times, either purposefully or accidentally. She had gotten better at it (through constant reminding by her brother), but she would slip every once in a while. Adrienne didn't think that mentioning cuddling was wrong at all, or that it would make Zach uncomfortable. It was the truth and she would have said it to any of her friends, guys or girls. Hell, if Taylor was watching movies with her instead of Zach, Adrienne would cuddle with her. And knowing Taylor, she'd cuddle right back.

But Adrienne didn't know Zach that well yet to know that he wasn't comfortable with certain things being spoken, but that was something she wanted to change.

She watched him carefully after he said her name and noticed his eyes moving down to his blankets. His fingers were toying with the tassels as if he was nervous about something. She looked at him, worried, until his eyes turned upward once more to meet hers. She swallowed slowly, nervous if only because of his suddenly strange behavior.

But then he spoke and she could hardly believe her ears. Did he just say what she thought he just said? She blinked a couple of times after he said it, her cheeks turning warm without her knowledge. "Zach I..." Her lips curled into a broad smile. "Yes. I'd love to go with you." She took a deep breath and bit her lower lip shyly but kept her eyes locked with his.

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coalintodiamond
2008-02-27 08:16 am UTC (link)

There was a skeptical look on his face that said he wasn’t quite sure he’d believe that one. It wasn’t the real case, but it was funny to fool around around with it either way. When it came to Adrienne’s innocence, he was a bit conflicted. One moment she wore penguin pajamas with her hair put in two braids, and the next moment all sorts of things were coming out of her mouth that would make any person with a sense of modesty blush. Adrienne also had a tendency to be touchy-feely, and the problem with that was Zach’s mind categorized most touch to be sexual. Friendly touching might as well have been non-existent to him. It was because he had such a lack of it in his life, but he didn’t know that.

Zach was ticklish, but he wasn’t the type of person to get angry over it. He didn’t like it, but it made him laugh and that was perhaps all that mattered. If she had pursued it, they probably would have wound up strewn out on the couch. This also probably wouldn’t have been a good thing, because he might’ve kissed her again. And they really didn’t need to do that again anytime soon.

Discomfort came because he wasn’t used to physical contact. It was as simple as that. It wasn’t because he found offense in it, had a personal space that you weren’t allowed to cross, or didn’t like it. Zach just wasn’t used to it, so he didn’t know what to make of it or what it meant. He initiated contact with ease in most cases, but it was a different story when someone else made the move first or when he knew he was attracted to a girl and they were still just friends.

His question hung in the air, an open invitation to be accepted or shot down. Despite the assurance from Starbuck, and even from Adrienne herself, Zach remained afraid of what would happen. He hated the feeling, not understanding where it came from or why it plagued him like this for no reason.

She was quiet at first, and that made the feeling in his chest worst. He wanted to take it back. It was the wrong thing. She didn’t . . .

Then she said it. The panicky feeling didn’t go away, but it changed into something else. Adrienne agreed, and he still felt like something was wrong inside of him for the sharp prickling in his chest to continue. What was that feeling? He couldn’t find anything to say, but he smiled slightly at her. Why wouldn’t it stop . . .

“I’d really like that,” Zach finally said, his voice soft. After a moment’s pause, he allowed his hand to seek out hers under the blanket. Her hand was warm, and he curled his fingers between hers, hoping it would stop the pounding of his heart.

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cursedwithfur
2008-02-27 08:16 am UTC (link)

Perhaps Adrienne was luckier than Zach in that she grew up in a family and around people who were affectionate. She was the type of girl who could easily tackle a guy one minute and the next sit on his lap without thinking twice about it. That was just how she was with her friends and most of them had grown accustomed to her behavior. They knew their boundaries with her and while they enjoyed her touch, they never would assume it was sexual. So her cuddling with Zach was just how she naturally was; the fact that she liked him was just icing on the cake. Hopefully in time Zach would grow used to Adrienne's touches despite his past.

Adrienne didn't mean to let the question hang in the air for as long as she did, even though it was only a few seconds at the most. And as nervous as Zach was in asking in, Adrienne was just as nervous in replying. Not because she was unsure of what her answer would be, but just because she wasn't expecting him to ask. Sure, she had been secretly hoping that he would and even if he hadn't, well she had even contemplated asking him herself. But now he had asked and she answered with a yes, and yet he didn't seem that happy. The smile on his face seemed forced somehow - she wondered for a moment if she had said something wrong.

"I'd really like that," he said almost timidly and Adrienne felt relieved. She breathed in deeply and when she felt his fingers interlacing with hers beneath the blanket, well she couldn't help but smile sweetly at him. She looked down for a moment, wondering what to say if she should say anything at all. Her hand squeezed his gently before she looked up at him again. She could tell she was blushing but it was important to her to keep some composure especially since she felt fifteen years-old all over again.

Why was she feeling like a giddy school girl? Why was she acting like this was her first time on a date? How had she gone from extra flirty to this which was something on the opposite end of the spectrum? Though Adrienne couldn't really explain it clearly she knew that she liked the direction in which they were going, and the speed.

"I was hoping you'd ask me," Adrienne admitted finally. She was chewing on her lower lip again and glancing downward. Dammit, she hated acting girly.

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coalintodiamond
2008-02-28 03:24 am UTC (link)

Affection was something Zach knew in his youth. Both of his parents had been quite affectionate, never failing to hug their kids or play with them or hold them in their laps. It was only after they began to get older that the affection slowly stopped on his father’s side, eventually ending completely. His mother, however, retained her loving her side. Even as Zach and Alicia grew up, she still fixed their flyaway hair with her fingers, gave them hugs, kissed their cheeks and foreheads, as well as using other tokens of love whenever she could. Jared stopped letting her do these things by the time he was twelve or thirteen, but Zach and Alicia never minded.

But his mother was not Adrienne, and Adrienne was not his mother. Maybe if he had seen them in the same light, he would have been more comfortable. Clearly, though, he didn’t see Adrienne like he saw his mother. Alicia also had some claim to affections, but that was his sister. Again, Adrienne wasn’t his sister and he didn’t see her that way.

Zach was unaware of the impression he was giving Adrienne. He wished he had a normal childhood. Maybe interacting with people would be easier for him. Unlike Adrienne, he hadn’t grown up normal. Zach had always been strange, always been off, always been different. He hadn’t changed one day into what he was — he was born that way. He was afraid to touch people all his life because his power acted of its own accord sometimes due to his emotions, and it altered fabrics as well. He could change objects by accident, maybe something he picked up in his friend’s room. It was too much of a danger for him to be close with people because something like that drew attention. It scared people. They didn’t understand it, and he couldn’t make them understand because he didn’t get it either.

Reaching out and holding her hand was a big step for him in the direction of normalcy. Hopefully, she would recognize that. Zach felt her hand squeeze his, and he wished the overwhelming feeling would go away so he could think better. He was eighteen, but in terms of social development he might as well have been stuck in a perpetual state of fourteen or fifteen. He was acting like this was prom at high school, and maybe for him it really was like that. He was late in catching up with the rest of world, and this school had been an overload for his senses ever since he arrived.

Things moved at the speed of light here, and he felt himself getting lost in a lot of it. It was nothing like the slow and steady pace of home. Adrienne said she was hoping he’d ask her, and when he looked over, she was chewing on her lip and looking downward just like him. There was so much shyness in the gesture; it was endearing. His own nervousness was eased somewhat at witnessing that.

With his free hand, he pulled his covers higher and removed the barrier of their blankets between them to make it like one big blanket instead of their own separate ones. Zach didn’t say I hoped you would say yes. He probably should have, but it was a step he wasn’t ready to take.

He was closer than before, their warmth providing enough coziness for both of them beneath the blankets and throws. Zach continued to hold her hand, tracing his thumb idly along hers. The movie kept playing and he kept watching it, though not really watching it. His head had drifted towards her in a sleepy sort of daze, resting against her own. Eventually, his head drifted to her shoulder. He was sleepy, half way on his way to actually being asleep. It had been such a long and trying day.

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cursedwithfur
2008-02-28 03:27 am UTC (link)

Maybe it would have been easier for Adrienne to have been born a werewolf, at least then she would have had twenty-two years of experience behind her belt. She wouldn't have to go through an adjustment period like she was doing, she wouldn't have to brace for the pain of transformation when the full moon came around, and her life wouldn't have been turned completely upside down. She had grown up normal - normal childhood, normal adolescence, and a few years of being a normal adult. The werewolf attack changed everything and it was hard to adjust to her new life when she was used to her old one.

Perhaps what made the moment between Zach and Adrienne so endearing was that it was a step toward normalcy for the both of them. It was something they both longed for and yet found so hard to actually grasp. Like sand, the harder they grasped at it the more it would seep through their fingers. And if they grabbed too tightly there was a chance that it could cut them. So Adrienne was reaching for this moment with Zach gently so as to catch as much of it as she could without getting hurt, and without hurting him.

And so far it was working. They were going at a steady pace, which was something to be said especially since they had already kissed. But the slowing down was good, she didn't want to make a mistake especially since she really liked Zach.

Adrienne was surprised when Zach covered the both of them under his one blanket after she told him how glad she was that he asked. He didn't need to say anything after that as the blanket gesture was more than enough. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest but even that began to slow when his thumb began to move back and forth slowly against hers. It was soothing and she felt herself relaxing closer into him. As much as Adrienne loved Boondock Saints, she felt her eyelids growing heavy and the only thing she was hearing was the sound of Zach's breath flowing in and out of his chest. His head was on her shoulder now and it was Adrienne who was tracing her thumb lightly against his.

The movie was nearing the end but Adrienne was in no shape to stay awake to watch it. She breathed in deeply and shifted gently toward Zach so that she could rest her head against his chest. The beating of his heart echoed softly in Adrienne's ears and she found the sound hypnotic as she began to fall asleep.

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Fin.

coalintodiamond
2008-02-28 03:28 am UTC (link)

After a time, Zach couldn’t sit upright anymore. Instead of shifting in his direction to lie down, he shifted towards Adrienne’s side of the sofa. She moved along with him until they were both lying down, Zach’s body cradling her own and his arm brought around over one of hers. Lazily, he attempted to drag their covers with them, though the blankets and throws fell off of their shoulders. Reaching down with his hand, he snagged it and pulled them back up to cover them properly.

He was already half-asleep, so he did the motions naturally without much thought. There were no worries that they were in a public place, no worries that they would wake up like that, and no worries that someone might see them and say something. If anything, he was comfortable and relaxed and it was perfectly innocent. After all, they were only snuggling. It’s not like anything scandalous had gone on between them.

The scent of her hair filled his nostrils since he was so close, the very tip of his nose touching the back of her head. His arm had settled beneath hers again, wrapped around her side underneath their covers. With that, Zach’s mind passed into a contented sleep along with Adrienne.

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