witchesreign | Round Two

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Round Two | action, Quad

[It's late at night - close to curfew - and Tom's sitting on the grass in the Quad. Beer bottle in hand, he counts the stars before chugging down another sip or two. There's actually a lot of things wrong with this picture: for one thing? Tom's still on alcoholic probation. As in, he's not supposed to touch the stuff.

Yet he did. And he's currently on his second bottle. Crap.

Tom's not really one for talking - especially when he's in werekitty form - so he won't notice people right away. Still, it's a little hard to miss a 6' tall werepanther casually chugging beer like there's no tomorrow. He looks up at the sky again, double-checks the number of stars, and then... takes another sip.

So much for upholding his promises.]

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[Her eyes follow the bottle as he sets it on the ground. There are a lot of things she could do. She could kick into a speech about how drinking isn't good for him and how he's on probation, but he knows that already. She just shakes her head at the offer instead.] Wouldn't want to waste it.

Up for talking about what's going on? [Her tone is casual, but tense. If he doesn't want to talk about it, she'll drop it and keep him company instead.]

Heh. Got it. [Thankfully, he only has three bottles with him--any more, and he suspected it would've been bad news for him.]

Kinda. [he shrugs, glancing at her] Just trying to block out some memories. Nothing particularly big. [which is kind of a blatant lie, considering he'd been really good about the alcohol until now.]

[She returns her gaze to the stars and lets out a small sigh. She has a feeling it's a lie since he's drinking, but blocking out memories... She can understand that.] Doesn't look so small from where I'm sitting.

[Falling quiet again, she moves her eyes to the grass. She's still not very good with talking things out with people, obviously, but seeing him drink again is kind of jarring and it visibly bothers her.] Next time you feel like drinking, talk to me instead.

[He blinks. It's been a while since he's had someone outside of the JSA really say something like that.] ... I'll do that next time. Promise.

Or just... spar with you, maybe? Anything but this. [he tentatively holds out his arm so that he might sling it around her shoulders; he's kind of forgotten how good Light is with touch, so he's basically waiting on her signal here.]

[With the look she's giving you, you better keep that promise, Tom. And she does look mildly uncomfortable saying it in the first place since it's really not something she says often.

The corner of her lips twitches and she's looking at him again.] Think you can keep up with me? [She's even teasing him a little now, gaze moving to his arm for a moment. Lightning's... really not that great with touch, so she lays her hand on his arm, hoping he'll get the idea and lower it. If he does, she'll sit closer and bump his shoulder with hers. It's a work in progress.]

[He's genuinely touched. Really. So much that he won't even mind lowering his hand and letting her get closer that way. It's a little obvious that Tom's more touchy-feely - a weird thing in itself when one thinks about it - but he doesn't mind.] Don't see why I can't try. I'm pretty sure I'll need whatever practice I can get for back home.

[Making the conscious decision to sit this close to someone is already a testament to either how much she trusts Tom or how much she's grown since she's been at the Garden. Maybe even a bit of both. She raises a brow and then nods, that small smile still tugging at her lips.] Sparring it is, then. Could be interesting.

[She looks kinda cute when she's smiling like that, but Tom knows better than to say that. Even if he'd mean it innocently.] After sparring with Pops? "Interesting" became a lot larger in scope.

I told you 'bout the metas, right? About Cyclone and how we had to spar together? [Maxine was Tom's closest JSA partner back home; he's definitely spoken of her before, since he saw Maxine in the giggly bubbly Cadets over here. But she also was Tom's (former?) favorite sparring partner.]

[Pulling her legs up just a little again, Lightning keeps her gaze on him, curious and calm. At least the awkwardness is gone now. She remembers hearing about Maxine and the JSA before, but not about the metas.]

No. [Her tone is casual and even interested despite her one word response. She's thankful he seems to have forgotten about the alcohol for the moment.]

[Lightning can make him forget anything! Tom's a lot like his dad: he'll drink to numb the pain, but his tolerance for alcohol's ridiculously high... therefore, it takes about three or four bottles for him to actually act drunk.] Really?

Huh. Basically... I'm a metahuman. People back home've shortened it to "meta." It's our word for anyone with superpowers. [this part, he knows he's explained, but a refresher never hurt.] I know I said Dad wasn't a meta... but Mom was.

She had my powers, so I inherited 'em without knowing it. Metas aren't exactly liked in my world--no, wait, I take it back, it depends. Some, like Superman, are well-loved, while others can't decide how they feel about Batman. You like him one week, then hate 'im the next... it's kinda wishy-washy.

Point is, Cyclone and I were metas on the same superhero team. So we used to spar and accidentally break holes in the walls or ceilings in the process. [... it's okay if Light doesn't speak; Tom does all the talking for them. Guess he missed his motormouth friend Cyclone more than he thought.]

[Lightning would have had an entirely different reaction had Tom been drunk when she happened upon him for sure.

And the refresher is definitely welcome, so she listens silently, not even nodding when most people would. Just absorbing what he's saying. She can almost draw similarities between their respective worlds when he tells her about where he's from. She enjoys hearing about it, if she's completely honest with herself. It's interesting.

She's not the overly talkative type, but it's another thing she's been working on whether or not she's really aware of it. It's obvious he misses Cyclone. Without her l'Cie strength, Light is a lot more breakable - a truth she doesn't like to admit.] Sounds like a good way to get some aggression out. I can't see Garden being too keen on any permanent holes, but the Training Center is always an option.

[He looks slightly embarrassed at the fact that he just spoke a lot so quickly, but doesn't call attention to it.] Hey, it'd be better for our health if we didn't. Those things're dusty when they collapse.

... But yeah. I agree. Training Center'd be nice. [he pauses for a moment, before amending:] Thanks for listening. I'll... try to talk it out next time.

[Everyone talks a lot compared to Lightning, so Tom shouldn't feel too embarrassed. She moves her gaze back to the sky, giving him a side glance and a very light chuckle before balling her fist and nudging his shoulder with it in a mock punch.] I'll hold you to that, Bronson.

[After a pause, she pushes herself to her feet and brushes any clinging loose grass off of her clothes. Tom might like some alone time, after all.]

[Heh. If he could blush, he would--he's definitely not used to all this touching from Lighting, and he kind of likes it. She's improved a lot!] I don't break my promises, Light.

[He laughs, merely cleaning up his mess when she does] Need me to walk you back? I don't mind. [he can brood in his room--it's just much less exciting.]

[If he mentions it, she'll huff and blame it on the lack of sleep most likely, but she is trying to get better at comforting people. It's a weird transition.

She inclines her head towards him and shrugs.] Only if you're done here. [Which isn't really what he asked, but hey.]

[He thinks about it for a moment. Brooding here's better, so he shakes his head.] I'll probably head to the Center in a moment.

Meet me for breakfast tomorrow, then? I promise I won't be hungover. [It's one promise he's managed to keep his whole life: he's too used to the alcohol to really feel the effects by now.]

[She nods at that, expecting that answer to begin with.]

Save me a seat. [With that and maybe a small smile, she turns to leave the exact way she came in: steps light and steady.]

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Round Two | action, Quad

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sorry for being late. :c

take your time sis ♥

you're the best ♥

oh shush; ilu too ♥

♥

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