Batty and the Beast

Log Info

Title: Batty and the Beast
Emitter: None
Characters: Claire Hastings and Ian
NPCs: None
Place: Rider Hall
Time: Sunday Night, May 16, 2010
Summary: Ian and Claire finally have their talk about romance, monsters and danger

It's Sunday and night descends over the campus of the Steranko Institute, a cloak of darkness coating everything and pierced only with the pinpricks of the stars to mar it's otherwise inky perfection. The streetlights and pathways lamps flicker on, blazing into illumination, creating pale pools of orange that quickly give way to the shadows beyond. The students inside are either beginning to settle in for the night as dictated by their circadian rythmns and diurnal natures to prepare for a day of classes and study ahead or denying the power of sleep and gearing up to spend the evening as they choose, embracing the night and the secrets the Darkness hides from the cruel light of day.
One of these latter students throws back the heavy curtains of her windows and gazes our over the dark campus as she runs a brush through her hair. Claire is getting ready for something she's been waiting for all week, her meeting with Ian. She wants everything to be perfect and thus, she's wearing some of her new clothes she picked up on her shopping excursion with Steven, Stephanie and Liv. She's wearing a rather fetching corset top in red with a frill of lace about the long, black arms and around the neckline, which is high and modest compared to the way the top hugs and holds her modest curves. Below that she's got on a short black and red pleated tartan skirt like something a schoolgirl might wear. Her legs are clad in stockings that go up to mid-thigh, stiped with black and white while on her feet are a pair of black mary jane styled 3" platform heels. She's humming to herself as she prepares, trying not to smile too wide at the thoughs of finally getting some alone time with her current crush.

Here's the interesting thing about life. Every color in the world was percieved just a little bit differently by everybody, at any given time. Blacks became blue in certain light, and one man's Red might just as easily be another's green. The point of illustration was interpretation. On this evening, one girl was looking forward to a certain meeting with another student. Said student, on the other hand, was trying to figure out exactly how to approach the meeting. Ian Stoker was one for simplicity in all aspects of his life. Things have been anything but in the last few montsh - From the bite, to coming to this school. All leading into this evening. It was a complicated issue at it's core, and that frustrated the hell out of the young man. But he was one to keep his promises, doubly so after missing two meetings earlier. The first wasn't exactly his fault, being called in by the faculty to arrange his curriculum through the summer and the next year. The second time was the cause of the Beast, and the sudden resurrgance of a rage that he thought dealt with awhile ago. That lead to tonight.

While the girl was dressed to the T, Stoker kept on his weekend casual. Namely a pair of lightly traveled jeans, and a button up Tee that sported the name of his old band ("Sergeant Pepper Demoted Me"). And despite all his mental confliction over the evening, he's rather timely, knocking at the door not minutes after Claire is mostly prepared. "Hey Claire, you about?"

Hearing the knock on her door, Claire calls back, trying to hide her excitement. "Yeah, I'll be right there." She hurries to tie her hair back up into pigtails secured with little red bands adorned with a foreshortened, stylizes coffin emblazoned with a red cross. Passing the mirror, she checks to make sure her black and red lipgloss is entirely in place and not smudged about. Finally, she takes a deep breath and opens the door to her room, adopting a kind of half-smile to seem much more at ease than she's feeling at the moment. "Hi Ian," she lifts one splayed-fingered hand and waves. Her usual mesh gloves are missing but her short nails are all freshly coated in glossy black. "I know things have been really hectic lately and I appreciate you taking the time to come see me." She grabs her purse from a hook on the back of the door and exits her room, making sure to lock it after her, giving Ian only a glimpse of the interior and the massive amounts of CDs she has as well as band posters plastered to every available wall surface.

"So formal," Ian murmurs as she gives him a greeting, a ghost of a smirk flowing unto his features before straightening out. "No worries. You're a friend, I'm not about to just duck out if I have any control over it." He takes in her features, before eyes dart over form, noting the attire. Provacative? He takes notes before, making a gesture as if 'lead the way'. "Nice CD collection you got. I thought everybody digitized these days. Nice to see that hardware still exists." His own collection was sparse - whatever would fit into his iPod, while the rest of his real collection was locked up in his parents house in Tallahassee. "So what's up gothling? You are all serious all the sudden. Tight." He already had a good idea though, with the way she was acting over the last few days. "I haven't even heard a snark in the last few days."

"Thanks," Claire begins, taking the lead, walking slowly so as to not get too far ahead. "The CDs are kind of like books to me, sure I could have eBooks and all that but sometimes it's nice to have the physical object in your hand. To have all the liner notes and look at the cover art. Plus, if my computer dies, which they do now and then, I'll still have all of my music to reload onto a new one. Digital music is really nice and all but it has it's flaws." She's also not carrying her iPod, which may be a first for her. "And I never go anywhere without all of my tunes. You never know when you'll be in the mood for Frank Sinatra when you've had enough Ronnie James Dio or Depeche Mode." Then, of course, Ian seems to cut right to the heart of the matter. Her cheeks flush a little and she stops. "Well… um, why have I been so serious lately?" She turns and looks the older boy in the eyes. She decides to lay it all on the line right there, just get it out in the open. No use pussy-footing around. "I caught a glimpse of what's going on inside of your head."

"The Chairman is an essential," From Punk Rock - To Metal - To Goth - To Hip Hop. All could agree upon that. Ian does make a littel face at Depeche Mode though, as if the words were a slight bit sour. No, not exactly his music. He makes an extra few steps before he realizes that Claire has stopped, turning his head slightly with a light frown. "Sorry, I tend to be pretty straight-forward a lot." Well semi true. He was straight forward when he wasn't delving in absurdist. And then she mentions reading to his head. His reaction is an odd one, blank for a moment before he lets out: "Oh." Now that was a wrinkle. He had known about the crush. But his head? "What exactly did you catch in there. Sorry for the clutter, I hadn't really gotten a chance to do a good spring cleaning." There was the absurdity rearing it's head, trying to cut the tension, if only a little. "I suppose there's a few questions you have. And a few answers I owe even without getting into the whole 'liking' thing." Yeah, he was one to let thing out on the open too. "Not to just to lay it out like that. Just, you're not the most subtle I must admit."

Blushing furiously, Claire nods. "Yeah, I have kind of a major problem when it comes to people I fancy," she's using the British slang on purpose, "And I was just curious what you thought of me, so I gave into temptation and took a little peek inside. I hope you're not mad about that." She swallows and shuffles her feet, looking down for a moment to gather her thoughts away from Ian's gaze. When she looks back up, she admits, "I saw the conflict inside of you. I saw how much you have to control yourself to not let that other side of your personality out. How you have to be constantly vigilant to not give in to the urges of… your other side. I saw how it taunts you and teases you and asks you to just let it out a little. You have no idea how much that makes me respect you. How strong that makes you look to me. How frankly cool you are." She swallows hard, waiting to be rebuked about how stupid she is.

"You're a telepath," Stoker murmurs after a moment, as if it would explain it all. "And fourteen. Hell, if I had that, the question would be when I wasn't in someone's head. The fact you only took a peek says something about you." He nods after a moment before listening to her thoughts about the inside. The other side of his personality? He darkens at the thought, though it's brief, almost as if he forces something down. He struggled with that often, the fact that he wasn't ever sure if the whispers, the temptations were really his personality or the beast whispering through the taint in him. On some nights he begged himself for the later, while others the formers seemed more… normal. Crazy could be explained. But a monster lurking inside of you? "I wouldn't call it cool. There really is only two ways about it. You control it, or it controls you. I'd have to be put down, I imagine if the later happened to be." He shrugs after a moment, leaning on a wall and regarding to Claire. "Though sometimes I wish it were as simple as that. As just control or a matter of two personalities. It doesn't scare you though?" The later bit if a curiosity to him. Because it scared the hell out of him.

Claire shrugs a little and smirks. "Not really. I mean it was a bit shocking at first to see just what's hiding under your persona but on second thought it's not all that scary. Everyone deals with their temptations and the possibility of falling. I mean, I can read minds and see anywhere on Earth. Do you know how easy that would be to just go nuts with and go all Dark Side? I could know the combinations to safes, memorize security systems in banks, spy on foreign powers and sell the info, be the ultimate corporate spy. But do I? No. Cause that's not who I am and I know that you, inside, are not a monster." At least she hopes that's true, it would be far more romantic and cool if it was. "And I'm not a real telepath. I can only see into minds, not send my thoughts to them. There's a big difference."

There's a dry laugh, equal parts mirthless and amused. Things were a lot simpler when you put them into black and white. And really, Stoker wanted to be that way again. Good guys, bad guys, and enough bullets to sort out the difference. But he found way too much gray in life to see that easily. He saw good people do horrible things. And horrible people do decent things. He himself had hurt, and a few of those times, very much intentionally. "A healthy fear ain't a bad thing to have in this world," he murmurs after a long moment, failing to meet Claire's eyes as he goes all introspective. "Not a telepath, perhaps, but mind reading nonetheless. How can you protect yourself from that?" He wasn't saying that derisively, quite the opposite really. But he wasn't about to let her talk down her powers. In the back of his head, a melody plays - As it was wont to do at all times with Reb. This one, of a certain southern metalcore band, playing low angry tones. We'rewolf was the song, and without realizing it, he hums it as he considers her words. Monster? Perhaps he wasn't but: "…Where are you supposed to escape when the creature is lurking inside you?" The last bit was not supposed to let slip, even as it does. "Control ain't a simple thing, Gothling. You slip, and you know some things y'shouldn't or wouldn't. I slip, and it ain't going to be coming out the other side. At least, on most days, I hope that Noir ain't all me. I would say hold your thoughts on me until you see that, at the very least."

Leaning against the far wall across from Ian for support, one legs slightly bent and lifted to rest the heel of her shoe agains the wall while the toe touches the floor, Claire folds her arms across her chest and listens. "If the problems inside you get to great, you escape them with external things. Go to a party, forget about yourself for a while. Drown the voices in your head in music or books. There's a reason it's called escapism." She sighs, "But I might be oversimplifying. I'm just a kid y'know. As for me. Well, I've only had my abilities for about two years. I abused the heck out of them before my folks knew I had them but it broke a lot of trust between myself and other people. They felt I was spying on them all the time and too spooky to be around. I lost almost all of my friends and almost got kicked out of school. It's that threat of never being able to be close to anyone again that keeps me from abusing my powers. That keeps me in check. That's why I had to tell you that I took a look inside of you. That's what this meeting is about as much if not more so than me being a stupid little girl with a crush on a hot guy." She chuckles a bit. "And if you want my thoughts on who you really are, show me. I can handle it. I have the ability to defend myself. Believe it or not."

Ian's chuckle again is a dry one. "Been there, tried that. Perhaps I should give it some different context. Think of it less another aspect of my personality, for argument's sake. And think of it more of a tug-of-war. Or a game of fotress. Anger - or more precisely rage," Stoker makes a little tugging motion into the air. "And you pull the thing into fruition. And Noir is let free. But at the same time, you lax, relax - conserve energy. It'll let you. It wants you to do that. It'll even pretend she's sleepin' for that one. And then there'll be a pull, and you fall, and Noir's form bears to fruition. Believe me, Gothling, I've spent a year around this country looking for what you're purposing. I've found a few stopgaps. But it ain't there, not yet at least. It's not something to get away from." He stops after a moment, breaking his thoughts upon himself to hear Claire's story. It is… well, a bit sad in many regards. The fact one had to learn about broken trust at so long. Even if valuable. "You, m'dear Voyeur can be wise behind your years sometimes. And for the record, I think you dropped me being hot twice in thie conversation. Keep it up and I might get an ego or somethng." Ian rubs the back of his head before squaring his shoulders a little, looking at her. "I trust you, y'know." And he's being honest. "I do believe you when you say that you've turned a corner, if it means anything. You'd be surprised how many people say shit they don't believe. They tend not to want to look you in the eye. And I appreciate you telling me about looking in my head. Or well, peek, 'cause you made no mention of that little scene that involves jell-o and an 80's baseline." Okay that little bit was humor again. Well. Hopefully. "But I'm not going to let out the lead. Not here at least, and not around. I trust your ability to control yourself. I know the Beast too well though. And the question is can you defend yourself before a Beast is around your throat?" He shakes his head. "Plus, the whole transformation thing hurts like fuck. I rather pass. But hang around this school long enough…" He lets out a long sigh. " I think it's an inevitability. I'm not exactly strong enough to keep it in indefinately."

Pushing off the wall and closing the distance a little, Claire offers a bit of a smile, even a laugh at the little joke. "Ok, I can understand why you don't want to show off your other side. One thing's for certain though. If it ever does get loose, this school is probably the best place for it. We've got girls who can control the shadows, we've got guys who can lift cars, other kids who can fly and shoot beams of energy and people who can subdue others mentally. This has got to be the safest place for you right now. We're all freaks and weirdos here and we looks out for our own." She smirks a bit wider now, sliding her hands behind her back and leaning forward just a bit to gaze right into Ian's eyes. "But if you want to share the thoughts about jell-o and an 80's baseline, I won't tell a soul." Her grin grows to mischeivous lengths and she winks.

Stoker snorts at the thought of the other teens. This time in a bit of self-deprecating insight. Sometimes he got into his emo 'woe is me' modes. If nothing else, this place showed him he wasn't exactly alone with powers. Or even struggles. Even if his might be a bit more intimate. "Duly noted. Hopefully I can avoid being through like a boulder, while being fried by lasers, while shadow beat me senseless. Doesn't sound the most comfortable." Pause. "This place might be the best." And that's not even mentioning the True Beast. The thing that had bitten him, and was still hunting him, though he wasn't yet fully aware of it stalking him. His uncle knew though, which was why he had contacted the school. Steranko staff knew, and perhaps that's why his movements had been so limited. They were keeping an eye out for him, something he hadn't been used to in a very, very long time. If his entire life. It was a new thing to get used to. That train of thought dies for a moment when Claire lets her last bit slip, which only brings a quirk to a brow from the elder student. "Careful with such things, Gothlings. Attire like that, and little innuendo's can getcha into trouble fast." He's playful in a way, but the tones also have a hint of seriousness to it. "I've seen you blush at the mention of orgasm in pizza context. Someone might think you are a bit more mischevious than you actually are."

"Sometimes the only real way to feel you are alive is to get in trouble," Claire replies, straightening up and laughing. "But I take your hint. So," she pause, "Now that the true confessions part of the night is over, how about we get to the second part? You know the part where I hang out with a guy who may or may not be developing an ego over the things I say about him." She dances back a few steps and tugs her skirt down to make sure it's at least somewhat at a modest length. "I guess what I'm asking is, would you like to go out with me tonight, get something to eat, maybe catch a movie or go dancing? It's Sunday and tomorrow we work and learn. Let's have a little fun, just you and me, before the dawn rises and we have to retreat to our coffins of juvenile propriety."

There's a low chuckle at that. Trouble? Sometimes that was the defining word in Stoker's life. He's about to say as much before shaking his head, a hint of a rueful grin playing at his features. "That part's a bit more complicated than it seems too, gothling." Yeah he did like that new moniker for her. It had spunk. "I suppose I should make a confession before you get too wrapped all in the myth of Stoker. I had a.. uhm.. let's say relationship that didn't end all that well. I'm not trying to get into too serious. Not for a long while at least. I have enough in the way of issues to even really consider trying to be a decent person to date." It had to be let out sooner or later. "That's just where I am at. And I haven't really gotten to take a breath out at this school." Inwardly he winced at how 'It's not you, it's me' that whole spiel sounded, even if it wasn't true. For now he was just trying to get his bearings, and perhaps if he was lucky, actually have a good time again. "But that said. Yeah, going out sounds fun. I'm clay in your willing hands to do with as you wish. Your pick for what you wanna do. Though I may have to insist on paying, else I'll look like even more of a jerk."

"Clay in my willing hands?" Claire quirks an eyebrow and grins with something approaching predatory glee, "And you accuse me of trying to get into trouble." She offers her hand, skipping ahead just a little. "Well, I know a dance party we can hit and a really good place for orgasm pizza." Yeah, she teasing but she's determined to have a good time, even if the chances of developing anything approaching a relationship are slim to nill. She just likes to be around him and hear him talk and laugh and joke. "And I won't even expect a kiss goodnight when we're done."

"The difference between you and I, Gothling," Ian begins, taking her hand for a moment and offering a squeeze before letting it go and following. He wasn't going to put that much intimacy into a situation. Not yet at least, and not with the way rumors could fly here. "You try to get in trouble. I tend to be trouble." He does follow though, thankful at least for small talk and the limited drama. That much was a clear relief from Maggie, and the things that she tended to put him through. A nice relief, at least, from the Beast and it's imminent presence. It would be here on this night, and for every night to come. But for awhile it might be nice to be a relatively normal teenager. Relatively. "Deal. But who knows. Night goes well, and I might even let you peek at my mind again." Seriousness? Who knows with one Ian Stoker.

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