[Catori Surona]

Darkness had fell hours ago and curfew had passed along with it, but one student was still awake. Although it was summer rain pounded heavily against the windows and a sharp wind blew outside but in the fire room shadows flicked in the dim glow of the fire, curled up on one of the couches was Catori her leg curled up close to her her silver gaze flickering in the dim light as music played quietly in the background. It was peaceful, for one the girl felt some what content it was peaceful for once, though she still had the familiar worry in the back of her mind that if anything went wrong she could kill hundreds of sleeping students but her mind was almost constantly on that thought, that's why she spent so little time in the school, mainly out training in forest or trying to gain scraps of money by doing work in the town but she had been even less successful then normal, which meant she had eaten very little recently but that was nothing new to Catori, especially not these days, she was use to her stomach feeling empty and her throat dry.

Her voice was soft as she half sung half whispered along with Iris, she didn't know much about music but she loved it, and she didn't have a particularly bad voice either. It wasn't a usual singing voice, not because she was out of tune or anything like that but her voice held a much more haunting note. Not that she had ever sung in front of anyone before being the shy withdrawn girl she was, but her singing voice suited her well, it was in a word unusual, much like the girl it belonged to. Sometimes she wished she wasn't so withdrawn from everyone else, well not just sometimes but nearly every minute of everyday, what she wouldn't have done just to be normal or at least have some chance to have a normal live, but truth be told Catori couldn't see that in her destiny as far as she could see her destiny was a much lonelier one.

A small sigh escaped her lips as she gazed out into the rain listening to the rhythmic drops as they hit the window her voice still singing softly along with music assuming no one else would be up at this late an hour.

[[Song = Iris by Goo Goo Doll's ^.^]]

This post has been edited by Catori Surona on Aug 8 2009, 01:04 PM

[Dorian Hallward]

It was dark in the entire school and no one was awake anymore. The daylight had been gone for hours already and it was night outside of the windows. As it seemed everyone at this school was asleep. Well everyone except of Dorian. A deep sigh escaped his lips when he turned around in his bed for the fifth hundred time. He didn’t know why he couldn’t sleep this night but something kept him awake and as it seemed it wasn’t likely that he’d fall asleep in the next few minutes or even hours. Looking out of the window he stared at the raindrops that made their way down the glass, mixing up with other drops. This sight was somehow consoling but he was so restless that he didn’t even find comfort in watching the rain. For a few minutes Dorian just sat there in his bed and listened to the noises of the night but then he got up and decided that he’d go for a stroll in the school.

He actually didn’t know if it was forbidden to be around the school grounds at this late hour but it wasn’t like he cared. Most of the time Dorian was very shy and would try to avoid every trouble but sometimes (and this night was one of those rare occasions) his rebellious side would come out and he’d do something completely unusual. For a moment he stopped in his tracks thinking about the fact that he was about to go out in the school with only his pyjamas on but considering the fact that his pjs consisted of a normal white T-shirt and some sports trousers he shrugged away the thought. Not as if anyone would see him, right?
At first he didn’t know where he was going, his feet just walked in the next best direction and Dorian didn’t pay much attention to where they were leading him but when he stood in front of a door all of a sudden he came to an abrupt halt. As it seemed his feet had led him to the fire room, which actually was no surprise since he was some sort of “fire boy” and was automatically drawn to fire, no matter where it was, but what really surprised him was that he heard a voice in the room. This voice was female and definitely beautiful, singing along with one of his favourite songs.

At first he didn’t want to interrupt the singing but he was already there and he’d be lying when he’d say that he wasn’t curious about the person singing. So he took one deep breath before he placed his hand on the doorknob and then entered the room, staring at the person that was sitting on the sofa. He knew the girl, it was Catori! Hell! Again they were running into each other… It was like destiny had some funny kind of humour because every time when he accidentally ran into a person at this school it was the girl. He didn’t really have a lot of contact to other students but he liked Catori and even though he didn’t see her often, they still had some sort of connection. A shy smile formed on his lips when he saw her sitting there, singing and looking out of the window… but he didn’t dare to interrupt her and besides it seemed like his feet decided that they’d stay there glued to the floor. Being shy definitely was a burden sometimes….

[Catori Surona]

Catori loved the rain, she always had, everything seemed much calmer in the rain and everywhere seemed much emptier, not the awkward empty she was use to where everyone had disappeared because of her but instead the kind of empty where it was just because...Not for a reason or because of someone. It was a similar reason she could be found at night, even though by the rules she should have been in bed and had been pulled aside for it a couple of time by some of the more ridged teachers but truth be told most didn't care as long as she was quiet. Its wasn't that she didn't like day time as such it was more so that she was much more at home during the night, in the daylight she felt every flaw, every hint of her differences where highlighted by the sun at night though it was much easier to keep to herself. Still though it didn't make her any less shy or any more confident around others, it just meant she was calmer when by herself.

Although the door opened and another entered the room Catori remained oblivious her head turned away from the door and to the window and her ears focused only on the music and the quiet beat of the rain. If she had realised someone was even close to the room she would have shut up in a second, instead though she carried on singing, not realising that anyone, let alone Dorian was in the room, one of the people she had been trying to avoid, not because she wanted to. Hell avoiding him was the last thing she wanted, she just knew it was safer that way, she didn't want to put him in any more danger then she had already, after all if she hurt him she would never forgive herself. Truth be told she didn't want to put any one in danger. Pulling the sleeves of her dark blue sweater over her hands she reached a hand up to brush her hair from her eyes, as for once, she was actually wearing it down.

As the music stopped though her hand froze as for the first time she caught the sound of another's breath, if it hadn't been for the short pause between this song and the next she probably wouldn't have noticed. Her eyes shone slightly silver in the dim firelight as she whipped her gaze round a slight look of panic mixed with embarrassment glinting in her gaze as she met Dorian's, though only for a second or two before it quickly turned to the floor, her cheeks now suitably pinker as she tugged nervously on her sleeves, a little more then embarrassed. “I-I didn't think a-any-one would st-ill be awake.” She said her voice quiet as the next song clicked on, Adam's Song. “So how much of me murdering a perfectly good song did you actually hear?” She whispered with a small wince her gaze still firmly glued to the floor and her cheeks still fairly pink.

[Dorian Hallward]

Obviously Catori didn’t notice that he was in the room. This comforted him but also made him feel awkward. It was good that she hadn’t seen him yet because she kept on singing but he was also worried that once she turned around she’d recognize him and they’d both be embarrassed like hell. Right after the thought had occurred in his mind the girl actually turned around and saw him. For a short moment she looked straight into his eyes some sort of shock and panic in them but then she turned her gaze towards the ground, her cheeks getting more and more pink with every second. It was more than obvious that this entire situation was completely embarrassing for her but truth be told Dorian could also feel the heat in his own cheeks. It was like he had interrupted some very personal moment…

“I’m… I’m sorry. Like umm really really sorry. I didn’t want to disturb you. I mean… I just thought I’d stroll around in the school … and and.. my feet well I don’t know why but I somehow… landed here.” He ended lamely, feeling like the idiot he most definitely was. How come he never managed to get out a straight sentence when he was nervous and with a girl? Dorian took a deep breath and let out a sigh before he answered her question. He really wasn’t keen on the idea of sounding even more like a total fool. “I heard about half the song… but you’re really good. I mean you can sing. I liked to listen to you.” Dorian said, hoping that Catori wouldn’t get even more embarrassed than she already was. Every time when he was with the girl he felt pretty stupid but at the same time he enjoyed her company. She wasn’t just beautiful, she also had a lot in common with him; no matter how different their lives were they still both had this huge fear that they’d hurt the people around them.

“Do you mind if I sit down here?” Dorian asked, hoping that she’d say yes. He didn’t talk to her for ages and now that he finally ran into her again he realized how much he wanted to talk to the girl. It wasn’t like he never thought about her… He thought about Catori a lot, but it was only now that he realized how much he longed for a proper conversation with her. It was like when you played in the water the entire day without noticing how hungry and tired you are until you get out of it and take a little rest. He wanted to take a little rest of his life and just talk to her, because he knew that he needed it and because he was aware of the fact that he probably wouldn’t see her for a while again. This thought made him somehow sad and he couldn’t help it but he was surprised about this sudden mixture of feelings… It felt like some hurricane was working in his mind and he didn’t even know where it had come from and if it would go away again.

[Catori Surona]

Catori's hands nervously played with a strand of hair, it wasn't so much it was a personal moment, more so in her mind she couldn't sing, saying that though in her mind she was good at little, but that's just how she was. Her confidence had been knocked so many times that these days it was virtually none existent. Though she was kind of happy he had come to this room and stumbled upon her, he was a nice guy he had already helped her out so much and they had only met twice, after all if he hadn't found her that day in the snow god knows what could have happened to her and the first time they had met, stupidly she had ended up twisting her ankle and it had been his first day but he had still helped her up to her dorm. Not only that but he made her feel more normal somehow, not like she was some creepy dangerous mistake, not like how nearly every other person in this place made her feel.

Turning her gaze upwards she brushed the left side of her hair behind her ear a hint of a smile on her lips as asked if he could sit down, “Of course I don't mind.” She said shifting to the side slightly so he could fit on the couch, “And you don't need to apologize, it just I know I don't have a very good singing voice, even if you are too nice to admit it,” She said a warm smile on her face thinking that was the only reasonable explanation as to why he didn't just tell her how rubbish she actually was, well in her mind at least. “So no one has really ever heard me before. I guess I should have really been paying more attention.” She said a soft sigh escaping her lips trying hard not to turn her gaze back to the floor as she did so often. She wasn't use to actually talking to people just because but she liked Dorian so wanted to try at least to have some sort of conversation with him, which meant trying to keep her gaze off some random spot on the floor for at least two minutes.

She couldn't help but wonder just why he was up this late, not many decided to take a stroll at this time of night, nor was it the safest thing in the world to do most up at this time where Vampires, Demons or something more along that line and of course herself, but she tended to stay out of their way, they treated her even worse then the mortals because she was a half-breed. “If you don't mind me asking what keeps you up this late?” She asked curiously.

[Dorian Hallward]

Catori had started to play with her hair which was a sign of how uncomfortable she felt with him around and for an instance Dorian thought that he’d better go but then he realized that he didn’t want to go and so he stayed in the room with her. He always felt uncomfortable when he was around other people and he never managed to actually talk with some of them because he just had the urge rather to run away than to get into a conversation. He couldn’t help it but he felt like he was some threat to mankind and he actually was, it still surprised him that there didn’t happen anything bad over the last few months at school. Well anyway it was a fact that the only person that made him feel nearly human was Catori and so he definitely wasn’t about to go and leave her there alone. Besides he couldn’t help it but he had the slight feeling that the girl also wanted to talk to him.

When Catori smiled and shifted to the side, Dorian sighed inwardly and placed himself next to her. The couch wasn’t that huge but they both still had enough place to sit there together. Looking out of the window he heard what the girl said about her voice and turned around to her, looking straight into her eyes without even noticing. “You do have a great singing voice! I really mean it.” He said completely convinced, feeling his cheeks flush slightly when he noticed that he was looking directly at her. His gaze fell towards the ground and he tried his best to get the colour out of his cheeks. “So what are you going to do with me? Since I’m the first one… umm human being that ever heard you sing? Are you going to kill me?” Dorian asked joking, trying to get Catori’s attention into another direction than his red cheeks. It was easier to joke than to face her directly like he’d done before.

It was only logical that the girl asked him about the reason why he couldn’t sleep. Nearly everyone at school didn’t have any problem with going to bed. Well except of the vampires and werewolves and whatever other creatures of the night lived on the school grounds. He never really thought about these other creatures because he knew that once he started he wouldn’t be able to stop and so he just took it as it was and tried not to cross their path at night. “I guess I just couldn’t sleep. I really tried but it won’t work. I’m just having some sort of bad insomnia… well some bad insomnia that lasts for years already.” He added biting his lower lip. Truth be told he exactly knew what kept him up that late at night and it wasn’t really a topic he was keen on talking about. How could you sleep at night when you knew that you took the lives of the ones you loved? It was impossible… “What keeps you up?” Dorian asked, finally loosening his gaze from the floor to look at Catori.

[Catori Surona]

As Dorian sat of the couch next to her she let a slight smile creep onto her lips, it was a pretty small couch, but there was enough room for both of them without squashing up. She pulled on leg up back on the sofa resting her chin on her knee, it wasn't usual for her to sit like this, it was a sort of paranoia thing it helped to hide her body shape, it was also why she often stood with her arms wrapped around her waist. It was just another part of her unconfident, self conscious nature but for some reason around Dorian she felt even more self conscious, caring what he thought of her and how he viewed her, becoming even more aware of every flaw, every imperfection and every mistake she made. Still though she liked talking to him even if she did feel an even bigger idiot then normal half the time.

As his gaze flicked directly into her's, as he spoke a slight colour creeping onto his cheeks as his gaze fell to the floor a small smile still hanging on her lips. She almost wished she could have believed him but that would have been admitting to herself that she wasn't completely useless at everything she did, which for her was more then extremely difficulty. “Thanks.” She said even if she couldn't believe him it was still a nice gesture. As he asked what she was going to do to him since he was the first one that had ever heard her sing she couldn't help but let a soft laugh escape her lips, though she did wish he would turn his gaze upwards slightly, but she wasn't really one to talk, even now she was trying hard to keep her gaze off the floor or on the window. “Now I can't tell you that can I, it would take the surprised away.” She said with an hint of play-fullness in her voice, something very very usual for a girl who half the time couldn't bring herself to even talk to someone.

As he said he just couldn't sleep, she didn't entirely believe him but she wasn't about to pressure him, it wasn't her place to pry, she understood that he more then likely had a very complicated past, she knew vaguely about it. In truth it was a similar thing that kept her awake at night, it wasn't just night, every time she shut her eyes she could see her brothers face distorted in pain as he lay dying, she could feel the hands of the 'doctors' dragging her away, she could see the blinding wall's of the asylum, the cries of the other patients, she could feel the electricity coursing through her body as the 'doctors' tested on her and the elf who had given his life to her. She pulled her leg slightly closer as the memories flooded her mind her hand gripping tighter, “Nightmares.” She said sadly with a slight sigh, “After a while it just gets easier not to sleep at all.” She said turning her gaze towards the window to hide the sadness in her eyes.

[Dorian Hallward]

Dorian was looking out of the window merely recognizing that Catori had shifted into a more comfortable position, resting her head on her knee. It was still raining… There was so much water on the outside and it remembered him of the times when he was wandering around Europe, searching for something he didn’t even know. He was escaping his life back then and he even tried to escape himself but it was impossible to do so. Every time when it was raining outside he had to think about this time, the pain and the confusion he had gone through. There was a black hole in his heart and it was growing with every day that passed. Rain was soothing but it also remembered him…

The small thanks from Catori brought him back to the presence and a slight smile formed on his lips while he raised an eye brow, she was actually accepting his compliment? That was something he really had to get used to. Dorian could remember that every time when he had said something positive about the girl she would refuse to accept it and keep telling him that it was nothing great. Well probably she had changed the way see thought about herself? At least he couldn’t think of any other reason why she would take it as it was.

As she said her next words, his sapphire blue eyes looked up from the ground and his gaze came to a rest on her face. “Well I guess you’re right with that. I just hope I get a little warning before my young life comes to a sudden end. There are a few things a boy has to experience before he dies, you know….” he replied some smirk tugging on the corners of his lips. Was he actually kinda flirting there? The same moment he recognized what he’d just said his gaze fell back on the floor, the pink returning into his cheeks again.
He was thankful when their talk came to another topic and Catori answered his question. “I guess you’re right, but on the other hand … Well I guess it’s worse to think about the things that are in your nightmares than to experience them while dreaming… I mean thinking too much about it can … also hurt you in some ways. Besides I’ve heard the rumour that lack of sleep makes you go crazy, which would explain why I am the way I am.” Dorian added smiling, knowing that there was quite a lot of self-irony swinging with his words.

[Catori Surona]

As Dorian raised his eyebrow a slight smile forming on the boy's lips she managed to tug her lips up into some-sort of a smile, she did truly wish she could believe what he said, maybe then she would feel so utterly useless her gaze still locked on the window. It didn't help either that the last person who had said she was worth anything had died because of her. It didn't help much that people with her powers where rare these days, any magical creature she had met or anyone who knew anything about the spirit world treated her like some kind of prophet, the girl who was going to revive the linage of true Sealer's, not the poxy little humans who thought they could control spirit but being who actually could and who could enter the realm of death and still survive. Deep down she knew she could never live up to those expectations, she was weak, useless and in a word, scared. She always had been, ever since her brother had told her what was expected of her, she was scared of failing, scared of letting everyone down, she was scared of so much to make a list of everything would take a lifetime, but she was never allowed to just be scared so like so much else she just pushed her fears as far back as she could.

As he said there are a few things a boy has to experience before he dies she flicked her gaze to him momentarily a slight giggle escaping her lips before flicking her gaze back to the window leaning back slightly on the chair thought half elsewhere as she spoke, “Oh don't worry I'm not going to kill you, I like you too much for that, however I can't promise some of my 'friends' won't pay you a visit.” She said a slight smirk on her lips flicking her gaze slightly to the side to meet his briefly again. Truthfully though she would never be able to shut her senses down enough to kill anyone, she had enough guilt on her shoulders weighting her down, some days the weight she already carried seemed too great for her so any more and she would just break.

“Your probably right about the lack of sleep thing, I can't see it being all that healthy...” she said with a small sigh still clutching onto her knee, “...Still though maybe I deserve it, maybe it's punishment. Either way though I just can't face the nightmares, never had been able to.” She said with a sort of shrug, well the best she could crunched up like she was. “When I'm awake I can block them out, I can train or try to earn some money for food, they never truly go away but half the time I'm too exhausted or hungry to notice but when I'm asleep all that's there are the nightmares.” She said a soft sigh escaping her lips, wondering if he would understand or just think her weird like nearly every other person did.

[Dorian Hallward]

Catori returned his smile and if he wouldn’t have already smiled he’d have done it the instant he saw the short smile on her lips. The girl never really smiled, at least not the sort of “the sun is rising” smile you always heard about, but still even if it was just little he always liked it when she did it. For Dorian this small laughing was worth more than a full laugh because it meant that she truly and actually had to smile even though the world was Sh*tty and everything that was going on was crazy. Maybe it was weird that he thought like that but for people that had seen the pain, anger and sadness on this godforsaken place called earth it made all the difference. It meant that you still could find something beautiful in all this mess and it was exactly that what cheered him up right now. For some people it was just a short smile but for him it was the thing that actually saved his day.

For a moment or two she had giggled and looked directly into his face. As it seemed she got his little joke and he was glad that she didn’t mind it. “Is that supposed to sound comforting?” He joked, laughing lightly. “I guess if I have to die you’ll have to do that all by yourself. You know when I go to the other place I want to see a dark angel before I get there and I guess you’re the only one that would do that job properly. So yeah.. guess you’re screwed.” Dorian added giving her one of the few real smiles he was able to give. He was really daring tonight but he hadn’t seen the girl for ages and every time when he saw her he somehow acted different than he usually did. It was something about Catori that made him feel comfortable. Sure he still was shy as hell at least most of the time but he also knew that he could joke around her and that she wouldn’t be angry at him if he did. At least he hoped so; he was really pushing it tonight… hopefully not too far…

Their talk got back to one of the more serious topics and Dorian watched Catori carefully, noticing that she somehow felt uncomfortable when she talked about sleeping. Her body language told him enough to know that he was right with his thoughts. When Catori told him how she thought about her nightmares, he looked at her his gaze softening at her words. He didn’t exactly know what she had been through but it must have been pretty hard and he knew that she still had to fight against it every day. It was nearly the same with him; they had some sort of connection that was almost strange. “I know what you mean,” he simply said softly touching her shoulder. Dorian just hoped that he didn’t cross some line there but at this moment she looked so unhappy and frail that he just couldn’t help it, he had to try to comfort her in some way. “I don’t think that anyone deserves to be pushed to the limits… maybe sometimes we’re too harsh to ourselves… whatever happened in our lives, I still think that there was a reason… I have to believe that there was a reason… or I’d go mental… maybe I already am. All that I know is that I’m a monster…no one that’s sane could live with the knowledge I have…” Dorian had whispered the words, shocked that he’d actually said them out loud. What would Catori think of him now? That was the most honest confession he’d ever made in the presence of somebody else and he couldn’t take it back now that it was said…. Averting his sad gaze to the ground he noticed that his hand was still placed on the girls shoulder and he took it away softly.

[Catori Surona]

The thing Catori had never been able to understand since coming to this school was why some people had got to live such normal lives and after they came out of this they would be able to return to their normal lives, when she came out of all this she would be leaving with exactly what she had come with, though perhaps an even bleaker out look then before. At least she had hope when she had first came here but these days sometimes things just got too hard for her too keep hoping someday things might change. Unfortunately today was one of these days. She also couldn't help but think Dorian had got a raw deal, he was such a nice guy, if had been normal he probably would have had an extremely good life, to be honest she was still slightly surprised that even here he wasn't one of the more popular students after all to her he had been nothing but kind, even on his first day when he had helped her back to her dorm he must have been so nervous and confused when she had stumbled and screwed up her ankle but he had still helped her when he couldn't help but think most of the other students would have just left her, even if he was shy she was still surprised that he wasn't more popular plus she had to admit he was very good looking.

As he spoke once more a light laugh escaping his lips she turned her grey gaze to him, it was good to hear him laugh she couldn't help but feel that like her it was something that he didn't do enough. As he spoke she gave a light soft laugh, “Oh Angel's aren't all that great, rather full of themselves really.” She said pulling a slight face, as bad as angels where Demons where worse, always looking for a fight. “Guess I'll just have to keep you alive then, plus I suppose I owe you for saving me so many times.” She spoke keeping her gaze on his for a moment longer before turning it back to the window, vaguely noticing the song switching in the background to one of her favourite songs Slide another one by the Goo Goo Doll's, she guessed it was the little things she missed about being normal, such as knowing that she would never have enough money to to normal stuff like going to a concert or getting dressed up to go out with friends a small sigh escaping her lips as they moved in time with the words.

As he spoke his hand gently touching her shoulder she turned her gaze back to him, it had been so long she couldn't even remember that anyone had tried to comfort her, probably about three years ago when she had first come here, her old friend here Vincent, but that been a long long time ago in retrospect and a lot had happened since then and she hadn't seen him for a long time either. As he stopped speaking his hand moving gently from her shoulder a soft sigh escaped her lips as she moved her gaze onto the floor her long dark hair covering her eyes. “I hope there is a reason but sometimes it just gets to the point where I can't help but wonder is it really worth whatever the reason is...And your right no one deserves to be pushed to the limit but some of us have got to for survival, for everyday things like getting enough money to buy what ever scraps of food we can.” Truth be told she was scared as hell to leave this place, she had no family, no friends, nothing she knew where she would end up exactly where she had come from. The street. She could feel her hands start to tremble slightly the more she thought about it she tightened her hand on her leg to try and hide it. “And if your insane then so am I.” She said trying to lighten the mood slightly but her hand still shaking and still hiding her eyes. “But your not a monster and if you are your the kindness one I've ever met.” She said her voice completely sincere as she turned her gaze sidewards slightly strands of hair still covering her gaze, her hands still shaking slightly unable to get the thought from her head.

[Dorian Hallward]

Now that he was sitting in the room with Catori he couldn’t help but remember the first day they had met. He’d just started school and the first thing he got to see was a beautiful girl that fell down right in front of him and nearly broke her ankle. He still wasn’t quite sure weather she really broke it or if it was just hurt but like he found out later Catori was some sort of half-elf and her wounds would heal faster than those of normal people. With a slight shiver he remembered the second time when he’d found her in the cold. He really thought that he’d lose her there.. She was so cold and shivered in his arms. It was a wonder that she’d survived it. It was strange but ever since he had set a foot in this school he’d always accidentally met the girl. Every time when she was in trouble he’d somehow been there to help her… well and to kind of protect her of harm. Dorian was able to keep away of all the other students at the school but he never managed to stay out of Catori’s way. This was strange but it was also good or he wouldn’t have any friend at this place.

As it seemed Catori also remembered there last meetings, because when she looked at him she came to talk about the other times they had met. “Touche, if anyone knows how angels act then it’s definitely you. I just have to agree there.” He replied a little bit playfully, smirking lightly. It wasn’t just the fact that he thought she was some kind of angel it was also the fact that he had heard that she sort of could see and talk with paranormal things, like for instance ghosts. Not that anyone of the students ever talked to him much, but he was good at listening and there were a lot of rumours going around in the school. He didn’t even want to know what people were talking about behind his back, but sometimes he got to hear some of the stuff and it always made him sad to hear what they actually thought about him. It wasn’t that he cared about what others said; it was just that it hurt even more when others could see the demon inside of you.

His face blushed when she told him that she owed him for saving her life. “You don’t owe me anything; I just seem to have a weakness when it comes to saving you,” he said trying to joke but the moment the words came out of his mouth he wasn’t quite sure if he was really only joking. It was also the truth somehow. Realizing this, some sort of panic spread in his body and he couldn’t help but he was shaking a little. He cared for Catori!! The realization hit him so hard that he couldn’t breathe for a moment. When did that happen? He’d just seen her a few times and he already cared for her. He couldn’t worry about her, he also shouldn’t. He was dangerous and whenever he cared about a person it ended with their sudden death…. He couldn’t allow himself to feel anything for anybody. It was wrong… He’d have to get out of here before he was able to hurt her!

His inner demons were fighting in his mind and he was pretty close to standing up and walking out of the room, but then he looked at the girl and everything that he’d thought about before vanished, only leaving him concerned about Catori. She was looking at the ground while she spoke, her long black hair covering her face. Something about the way she looked like and what she said to him touched him. So deeply that he almost started to cry. He could feel her pain, it was his as well. If anyone understood him then it was the girl sitting right next to him. “I know…,” he barely managed to say the words. He noticed that her hands trembled. The girl tried to hide it but he still was able to see it. Just a few moments ago he’d nearly been out of the door but now that he saw her like that he couldn’t leave her. Dorian would never forgive himself if he left her alone like that. He instinctively placed one of his hands on hers, trying to stop her trembling. With the other hand he touched her chin softly, forcing her to look in his face. “Thank you,” he said squeezing the hand on her knee slightly. “You’re not insane, you’ve just had a harsh life.” His blue gaze locked with hers and for a moment nothing seemed to be like it had been before, but then he got aware of what he was doing and he blushed, averting his gaze to the ground, his hand letting go of her chin. What was he doing? He was going mental, that was for sure….

[Catori Surona]

Catori couldn't help but wonder how late it was, not that it mattered much, she hadn't had a normal nights sleep, well, since she had first started seeing spirits, when she had been about four. When she had still had a home, family and a life to look forward too. Sure her parents had fought, but they where both upset, her mother had just lost their second child after all and they where both still quite young, but never in a million years could she have guessed in less then a year she would be out on the streets. At worse when she told her parents what she saw she thought that they would call her stupid, maybe say she was making things up but when she actually told them after the smack that had knocked her to the floor she honestly feared for her life. So she had done all she could think of and ran. Even so she was only small and even after the first day she had only made it halfway across town, they could have caught up with her easily but they didn't hadn't even tried. All that she could come up with was maybe they hadn't tried to catch her because she wasn't worth it, that was part of the reason she couldn't see why Dorian had gone out of his way to help her, both times he could have just left her, anyone else would have. Saying that he wasn't just anyone else...In truth he was like no one else she had met.

As he said he just had to agree with her on the angel comment she gave a small smile tugged at her lips she assumed he meant cause of what line her powers specialised in, she knew her powers where important, she knew she was a rarity. Truthfully though, sometimes she hated her powers. She knew they where half the reason she was avoided like the plague by half the students at this school and even by some of the teachers. She had been so nervous that when she told Dorian, although she didn't tell him the full extent of her powers, she had still been so nervous that he would want nothing more to do with her, even though they tried to avoid each other, but that was for a different reason. Catori knew that it was safer that way, after all two unpredictable people together could never be a good mix. It by no means meant she wanted to avoid him though, so many times had she considered going to his dorm just to talk to him but had always ended up knowing it was better off if she didn't. No matter how much she wanted.

As he replied to her owing him she couldn't help but notice a second after he spoke his breathing went slightly uneven, even stopping for a moment, concern furrowing her brow. He looked...panicky. Like he just wanted to run out of the room. She wanted to do something to help, make sure he was okay but she didn't know what. She hated not being able to help those she cared about...Wait had she just classed Dorian as someone she had cared about? She knew she was fond of him and enjoyed his company, but care about him? This meant staying away from him was going to be a hell of a lot harder.

Only a few seconds had passed since she had looked at the ground to hide her face but it felt like hours, thoughts just swirling round her head, the rain still tapping on the window, the music still playing in the background, the fire still softly crackling, she knew not all that much time had passed since Dorian had come into the room but it felt like hours. Not in a bad way though, more so in a comfortable way, the way she imagined how normal people would talk to friends and how they could talk about so much in so little time or how some much could happen in so little time. Still though she knew that all too soon this meeting would end, other students would come into the Den and then they probably wouldn't see each other again for a while. Then it would be just her again. She heard two words barely escape his lips, two simply words, that she truthfully never expected to hear from anyone in reference to just about anything she said. She felt his hand rest on top of hers, a lump rising in her throat the trembling in her hand quelling slightly. As his other hand gently touched her chin she felt her breathing grow slightly quieter then normal. As he thanked her squeezing her hand lightly she felt her breath catch in her throat for a second...After he spoke their gaze stayed locked for a short moment before turning his head to the ground. Her mind slightly muddled, a lump still in her throat as she spoke, “Why...why are you thanking me?” She spoke her voice quiet and soft, “Then your not insane either maybe a little harsh on yourself.” She said realising how hypocritical she was being only after she spoke but kind of hoping he wouldn't pick up on it. “And I should be the one thanking you, you've already done so much to help me and you probably don't even realised.” She said softly turning her gaze shyly to the window a slight flush on her cheeks.

This post has been edited by Catori Surona on Aug 30 2009, 05:29 AM

[Dorian Hallward]

It was still raining outside and therefore he didn’t have any idea of how long he was with Catori already. Maybe they should try to get some sleep, but maybe they should just sit there and talk on. Just keep on talking until the clouds faded away and the first sunray entered through the windows. It was nice to think that it could be this way and he was very tempted to be here. Even if they didn’t say anything at all he still was in the presence of the girl and this soothed him. It also remembered him; it remembered him of the bad times but also of the good ones when he was with his parents and his brother. The days before his life changed over night and nothing was like it had been before. It was the time before he was brought to the orphanage and before he met Ana. He’d almost forgotten how it was to talk to someone. How long had it been since he stopped to trust into others and even into himself? When his brother lived they used to sneak out in the garden at night and played and talked for hours, but that was all long gone. There was nothing left of this time. Nothing that remembered him of the peaceful life he once led. No sign of his former existence except of the ashes of the lives he’d taken. Lives too shortly lived…

Catori smiled at his comment concerning angels and he wondered if she was thinking in the same direction like he’d been thinking. Sometimes he’d really pay a lot of money just to know what people around him were thinking. Yet he thought that it was a blessing he couldn’t. He seriously wasn’t keen on finding out more about what people thought about him. His ears already heard enough and the things people thought weren’t even filtered. You usually thought first before you said something. When it all only happened in your head, well then you had no guarantee for what people would really think. He just hoped that Catori couldn’t read his thoughts, because then he’d be screwed like hell. Considering that he couldn’t stop thinking about his past and the fact that he enjoyed her company way more than it was decent for a guy like him…Dorian had had a hard deal staying away of her dorm, or even staying away of her when he saw her walking somewhere on the school grounds. This didn’t happen often, to be honest it happened only twice, because she usually always was away but sometimes he’d eventually get a glimpse at her figure walking out of the school.

The thoughts that were running through his mind after he’d said the words made it hard to focus on anything. He hadn’t realized how much he liked the girl. Not until yet. He couldn’t let this happen. It was just too dangerous for her. She didn’t even have an idea of how dangerous it would be for her to simply have a friendship with him. Leave out the other things he thought about… Hell since when did his thoughts drift in this direction? Why hadn’t he been aware of this all? He bit his lips nervously, while he tried to gain back his calm. Dorian really tried not to freak out because this would end up as bad as everything he imagined right now. However, when his gaze fell on Catori his mind suddenly came to an abrupt halt and everything he wanted to do was to try to help her. He’d have to think about all the other things after he’d comforted her. At this moment she needed him as a friend and not as a possible threat and he’d do his best to be that friend for her.

He couldn’t help it but had to look up at her words, some sad smile forming on his lips. She actually asked him why he thanked her? There were so many reasons that he couldn’t even put it into words, but nevertheless he tried to explain it to her. “I’m thanking you because … you’re the first one to treat me like a human being. You… understand me…,” Sadness spread in his body when he said the last words. Dorian knew that she was only able to understand him because she felt the same way and it was sad that she did. In some way he wished that she wouldn’t understand him as good as she did.
“Probably I’m harsh on myself, but I guess you’re the same as me,” he replied some shy smile around his lips. Truth be told they both weren’t angels and they both thought that they didn’t deserve anything good in their lives. As she spoke her next words, he raised an eye brow some surprised expression on his face. “I think I didn’t do anything to help you…. I just can’t do anything to help you…” Dorian replied while he stood up and walked over to one of the windows. He didn’t want her to see his eyes. “Listen… I … I just can’t be your friend… I’m dangerous.” His hand turned into a fist, his nails pushing into his palm. He was angry at himself and he was so confused but whatever was going on here, he had to end it somehow. He couldn’t let her get that close to him. Hell he even cared about her. “I don’t want to hurt you….” There was a flicker of red in his eyes when he spoke the words. A sign that he was getting too emotional… also a sign that he should walk out of the room as soon as possible before he started to actually hurt her. There wasn’t much he could do against his powers except of trying to calm down and so Dorian just stood in front of the window, closing his eyes while he took some deep breath. His hands shaking at the effort of controlling his ability before it got out of hand.

[Catori Surona]

Catori started to play nervously with a stray strand of hair chewing on her bottom lip, this was one of the few times she was glad that her Guardian wasn't with her, for one he would have murdered her by now and two she would probably look more then weird to Dorian getting a lecture off a spirit wolf he couldn't even see. See that was half of the problem with here powers now day's, part of why they caused so much trouble, people didn't believe in things like spirits and elves any more. Most had lost the ability too see them and those that could thought they where some kind of prodigy and often ended up pissing off the wrong spirit and getting themselves killed. So now days people associated with the afterlife where shunned, it had happened to her, it had happened to her 'brother' as well. His story had been similar to her's, though his parents had died at an early age so it had been his grandparents he had been living with when his 'gift' kicked in. In the end he had run away too. In the Shaman world though he had been a prodigy the only one to have a guardian so young, who in the end he had given to Catori as she had never had her own, just another reason she thought herself her a failure, it was pretty unheard of that a Shaman hadn't found the spirit they where meant to be bonded with by Catori's age but still had a borrowed one.

Catori for one didn't like the word angels, not how it got used these day's anyway. Not in the description of divine beings with pure wings who where meant to help the down trodden and heal the ill. No real angels where nothing like that. Real angel's where self-centred, they had great powers if they wanted they could turn even the most ruined life around with only a flick of their hand, they could give hope with just a glance but they where too involved in their petty fight against the demon's for any of it, instead they had all but abandoned their true roles and had left this world to its own devices. To Catori angel's where kind selfless people, people who didn't judge until they got to know a person, who would help even their worst enemy. Unfortunately there where too few people like that in the world, people these days where too scared of the unknown and people who tried normally got shunned for it, or in her brothers case shot...He honestly would have helped anyone. He tried to help anyone. Because of it he had been killed. Because of her.

Catori just couldn't understand it as he spoke, why should she be thanked for treating him like a human being? He was one, sure he had powers, sure he was a little different but they all where at this school, if they couldn't even treat each other normally then how where they going to get the outside world to treat them normally. If he had been a horrible person she would have treat him just like any other horrible person, like she had before admittedly it had got flute broken, which is why she now used a sword and got her pretty badly beaten by a vampire but she still didn't see why she should treat people here differently from in the outside world. If someone in the outside world had been as kind and genuine to her as Dorian then she would do just about anything they asked. Though she could understand why she wasn't treated like a human, she wasn't one. Not any-more at least. Now she was only half human so perhaps she only deserved to be treated like half a human. Though as he said 'You… understand me…' She could hear the sadness in his voice a sadness that pierced her, she hated seeing him sad, he just didn't deserve it. As he spoke again a shy smile on his lips she couldn't wipe the worry from her face.

Catori couldn't help but be unsurprised as he raised an eye brow some surprised on his face, she had fully expected him not too realise just how much he had done for her, still though worry lingered etched on her face as he spoke. As he stood up it only increased her worry as she bit down on her lip. As he said he couldn't be his friend he was just too dangerous she had to use every ounce of will left in her not to let tear start streaming down her face. It may have seemed pathetic to some, especially since she tired to avoid Dorian most of the time, but it didn't mean he meant nothing too her. He meant a lot too her. Another thing she couldn't get around was whether he meant couldn't or didn't want too, it was just she had been rejected by so many people and she still had a hard time believing that he actually wanted anything too do with her in her mind didn't seemed just as logical as couldn't. As she flicked her eyes downwards she caught sight of his clenched fists, she had done it enough times herself to know what he was doing and she couldn't bear the though of him hurting himself. Standing up she lightly touched his hand to try to get his attention, “Dorian please don't...” She said her voice thick with sadness and worry, her eyes focused firmly on the floor glistening lightly. “...If you don't...if you just want to..go I'll understand...” She spoke pulling her hand back curling it in a loose fist not quite able to say if you don't want to be friends. “And just to let you know I'm not scared of you and I'm a lot harder to hurt then you think...Even so just so you know you've helped me more then you could ever realise, I mean you saved my life but even just talking to you...” She said with a sad smile, her voice still thick with worry and sadness she just couldn't wipe from her voice. She turned around so her back was facing his, head hung low as she shuffled her foot quickly to hide the single dark drop on the carpet quickly reaching up and wiping her cheek.