Who: Rachel and Stiles Where: On the street When: Nowish What: Meeting in person Status: Complete Warnings: None
Rachel was getting used to being in a place where she didn’t have to hide all the time. Nobody looked at her suspiciously. It helped that she put out a constant mental static that hid the scarred tattoos on her face. She found a ground floor apartment tucked in the back where she stayed. More like she holed up. Supplies that she needed she bought with the money that strangers “gave” her...after a mental suggestion that they do so. She wished she didn’t have to resort to that, but what else could she do?
It was one of the times when she was looking for a mark that she picked up on a mind she recognized. It was the only mind she’d communicated with. Rachel hadn’t expected to run across him, but sensing him nearby she reached out with her mind to gently brush against his.
Stiles.
*
Tired of looking at the apartment walls, Stiles had decided to go out. He had no real idea where he as going. It was more of a let’s walk and see where I end up type of thing. If anyone had been home, he probably would have dragged them with him, but nope. He was alone. Which was fine. It just meant he could do whatever he wanted without having to think of the other person. Now he just had to find something of interest.
He glanced into the shop’s windows as he slowly walked past. It wasn’t interesting. But that wasn’t what made him stop suddenly. “Huh?” He glanced around, but didn’t see anyone that he knew. Maybe he was just hearing things. He shrugged to himself and started to walk again.
*
This way. A mental nudge suggested the right direction, but just in case, Rachel stepped out of the shadow she was hiding in to give a meek little smile and a wave. It was up to him whether he would go up to the shy and pale redhead.
It was possible she freaked him out so Rachel wouldn’t surprised if he turned right around to go in the other direction.
*
Okay, this was just way too crazy. But he had a feeling he knew who was doing this. Stiles went right and then saw Rachel. She didn’t scare him, so he easily walked up to her. “Hey,” he greeted with a smile of his own. “Why are you hiding?” That was probably a stupid question. She had mentioned to him how her life was before arriving here. It was probably just a bad habit that she hadn’t broken yet.
*
“Hi,” she said quietly. Her voice barely carried, and even though she seemed at ease her eyes darted here and there at times.Up close it turned out that she was just as tall as he was. If she’d stop looking around so much she’d be able to look him in the eyes without having to tilt her head. She was tall, but she hunched as if expecting to get hit, and the girl seriously needed a sandwich.
“I like to watch people,” was the answer Rachel gave. It was as close to the truth without actually being the truth as she was willing to admit. At least out in the open like this.
*
She seemed very quiet. Shy-like. Not what Stiles had expected after talking to her. “Oh yeah?” He glanced around. “Have you seen any interesting people?” He had to ask. “Also, you should people watch with food or something. That way you don’t look like a creeper.”
*
“Everyone is interesting here.” To Rachel they were. It was all like the childhood she didn’t remember, but she’d heard about what the world had been like before the Sentinels. “No one can see me if I don’t want them to.”
She gave a small sly smile before she faded from view. A couple of moments later she reappeared as if she hadn’t gone anywhere. “Besides. I don’t have any money.” Yet.
*
“I don’t know about that.” Well, maybe some people. He still hadn’t met too many people since arriving and that was fine. “I can see you. If I can see-“ he stopped when she disappeared. Okay, that was kind of awesome. And a very good way to people watch without anyone noticing her doing so. “What else can you do?” He was totally curious now. “Oh. Well. I have some. We could get something. If you want to.”
*
Up until this moment, the reactions to Rachel’s abilities have been either fear or hatred. It was refreshing to have someone react with interest and curiosity. She even blushed a little, which brought out a smattering of freckles across her nose.
Of course, she wouldn’t demonstrate what she’d done for so long back home. She would much rather no one know about that. Instead she looks around then spots a bottle of water that someone had dropped on the ground. With just the slightest...and needless...of gestures, the bottle was lifted without touching it and placed into the nearest garbage can. “I can do that.”
Her stomach didn’t quite growl at the mention of getting food, but it was a near thing. Rachel felt the pinch of hunger enough already. “That’s really nice of you. I’ll pay you back.”
*
Stiles noticed the slight blush and smiled a small lopsided smile.
He followed her gaze to the water bottle and then saw what she could do. “Okay, I know you told me that you could do that, but seeing it is so much cooler.” If he could do that, he would be the laziest person ever. Maybe it was a good thing he couldn’t move things with his mind.
“Don’t worry about it. What do you feel like having?”
*
Rachel chuckled a little for the admiration. She was much quieter and reserved in person than she may have seemed on the net. It was easier to be confident from the safety of cover. Granted, for her almost anywhere was safe cover since she could sense an approaching mind and bolt before they found her.
“Um…” She bit the inside of her lower lip as she thought about it. “I don’t know. Everything is new to me so I’ve been trying a little of everyone I find.” She wrinkled her nose. “Taco Bell is awful.”
*
Stiles gasped. “Taco Bell is not awful. We can’t be friends,” he sarcastically said as he acted like he was going to leave her. “Okay, next question then...do you want a snack or actual food?”
*
For a moment, Rachel thought she really had offended him. Green eyes widened and her lips parted. For just a brief second the tattoos showed on her face as her self-confidence wavered. They were hidden again just as quickly when Stiles proved he was just kidding around.
Rachel smiled as she shifted in place nervously. “Uh...whichever. You’re buying so it’s your say.”
*
Stiles had see seen the flash of tattoos on her face, but he didn’t say anything. It seemed like something to bug her about some other time. For now, it was junk food time.
“I feel the need to eat a hot fudge sundae. Let’s go get a sugar high.” He smiled at her before he started to lead the way towards the ice cream shop.