This one took awhile to edit, and half way through I just went and rewrote the thing. I hope that the drama is subdued and not overbearing. I'm going for a mix of horror, romance, and fluff. I've never written romance before, but I guess I've also never written horror or fluff so it is all kind of an experiment. I hope you enjoy it anyways...
School the next day was much of the same as the first. The pranks were there, but a certain wariness by the Trio. I can tell that I'm scaring them. My lack of reactions from when I was alive are gone, and what has replaced them are inhuman ones. I certainty smile more often at school. It was like this for the rest of the week, and towards the end of it Madison seemed to be completely checked out. One down two to go, Sophia and Emma are still going strong. Sophia with her sneers that my new "attitude" cause her to storm off in anger, and Emma my former friend using our friendship to attack me, twitching when insults fail to reach the person I'm no longer. I have other secrets now, secrets you will never be told. I have a new friend bitch...
It was very satisfying to watch them be desperate, I didn't realize how much I was to propping up their egos. Who needs who now?
The rest of my school schedule was mostly the same, except I was outside more during lunch. Usually some corner where I won't be watched, even though it is usually with an audience of jeers from what remains of the Trio and some hanger-ons, those too dropping out of the two's games. I have to do it though, the sun bathing, My hunger is too great now and I'm scared of what could happen if I wasn't careful.
The tattoos were subject to quite a bit of scrutiny by both my parents and the student body. Besides the obvious of my bullies, I also was approached by the gangs. Mostly the Merchants and E88, thinking that tattoos were the universal sign "for come bother me I want your attention". A recruiter from the E88 wanted to congratulate me on fighting back against the wrong race, like standing up for myself was some kind of test. The punch I gave him knocked him on his back and, judging from the blood, broke his nose. The gangs stayed away from me after that, still got nasty looks from the E88 side.
Dad and mom were concerned about it until I explained what they were, mom got it immediately and just asked if I needed more food in my pack lunch. Dad took a little longer to explain, but once Lisa explained their mechanisms and what they did in a little less detail then what I was trying, he got it. Lisa was still living with us after she told my parents that she was a cape and we explained our plans to be our own hero group. Mom and dad weren't happy with the deception, but a few horror stories from Lisa about the dangers of being a lone thinker, that four week deal was rescinded. Mom and dad are not about to let Lisa get kidnapped and forced into servitude.
" Jesus, fifty-eight point eight inches," Lisa flicks the measuring tape closed, " well Nimi it is official, your boobs are insane."
Nimi smiles and helps Lisa down from the stool she stands on. " Look you want to explain why that is a crazy number," I write down the number on the list of measurements, " I only just reached an A cup this week." The list of measurements is for mine and Lisa's activities this Saturday. Now that the three of us have got some decent cash we now have to make a purchase. In other words clothing that Nimi can fit in.
" Well bra size is based on the difference between bust length and back length, right?" Lisa places the tape measure in the sewing kit we found in the basement. I'm told it came from dad's parents, my grandparents. I've never met them and dad doesn't talk about them.
" Yeah, so seven inches, that's not too bad..."
" Well that puts Nimi in a G cup," Lisa gives me a look. I still don't get it, I mean sure it is big but so is Nimi. " Taylor, that is completely inhuman size, those numbers in front of that letter on your bra only go up to forty-six. There isn't a non-custom bra that Nimi could possibly fit in."
" Bow before boobzilla mortals," Nimi's grin stretches her face, as she poses with her hands on her hips. I smile and Lisa just grumbles under breath, something about luck and artificial genetics. I pat her on the head as she pass by me. " So what else needs to be measured now?"
Lisa and I have been measuring my other for the last three hours, so both of us are really familiar with Nimi's body... almost too familiar. " We are done, now all we need to do is take these to Parian's shop and hope she'll do it," Lisa waves the list of numbers and information as she walks back up the stair out of the basement. I watch as Nimi starts to pout.
" I still wanted to show off some more, she didn't even get to look in my mouth!"
" I don't think that has enough to do with clothing Neems," I smile even as my other frowns.
" Oh!" We both turn as Lisa appears back at the top of the stairs, " I almost forgot." Lisa leaves again, what did she... A camera?
" We need to take her picture, come up stairs there is better light." Why do we need to take a picture, I look back at Nimi. She looks excited at the chance to "show off" some more. I shrug, if she is having fun I'm not going to deny her that.
The pictures were apparently proof that we weren't lying when we go to the tailor cape's shop. It actually took quite a bit to get Nimi to let us leave. Every time we took one she would pose, adorably. Strong-man's, Thinker, plenty of peace signs and other very cute things. We ended up with twenty pictures, we only planned on four...
I eventually had to mention the mushroom garden that I'm building across town in a warehouse and how it would be a shame if she couldn't see it when it bloomed. It was expected to occur in the day, if Nimi wants to see it, dad is going to need her to have clothes for day time hunts. She was still confused so I brought out the big guns, once she has clothes she can take Lisa out on daytime hunts. We were rushed out immediately after that...
The bus is quiet, it is early just before noon. I look over at Lisa next to me. She was kind of anxious about being near the boardwalk, you know, after she was almost kidnapped there. I feel my fist tighten, never going to happen... I could have left her home, but Lisa had been inside almost all week except for some nightly hunts that we went on with her. It was kind of something I'm learning about thinkers, or well capes I guess. Lisa has trouble sitting still.
I would say that it is just nerves, but it isn't as simple as fidgeting. It has more to do with what she does to relieve herself, Lisa needs to talk and use her power. Mostly it is me or Nimi, but she has held long conversations with both dad and mom at regular intervals. It could be just Lisa, and if it is I always enjoy her talking even when it is just rambling. If it isn't though, maybe it is a common trait among all capes? Or maybe just thinkers?
I look up as I feel a hand on my bare shoulder, " hey this is our stop come on." I look over to see Lisa getting up and I follow after.
It was a cold day here on the boardwalk, but even still there are quite a few people enjoying the shops. It also means that a lot of people are staring at me. No, I didn't forget my shoes again... Nimi reminded me of that before I left.
No, people were staring at me because despite the fresh snow from yesterday, I am wearing just a tank top and some pants. It probably looks weirder that I have my superproducers out to absorb the sunlight, in spite of cloud cover. Lisa has my hoodie. I look down at her, she is using the large size of my hood to help hide her from interested parties. I was cool with it, this way Lisa stays hidden and I get to grab a light snack....Stupid pun.
Plus she looks cute in our clothes, my traitorous thoughts whisper. Shut up, we are just here on business I don't need-
I jump as I feel a soft grip on my hand. I look down...Lisa is holding my hand? I-, the hoodie around her is huge and the hood hides her face. She looks like a little kid... is she scared? I stoop lower to try and see her face.
Lisa turns to look at me, her grin foxlike. I can feel my ears fill with blue blood as I blush at her teasing. I am hungry. Lisa drops my hand and starts to stride a head of me. I narrow my eyes as I stare back at her, two can play that game. I grab Lisa's shoulder before she gets to far, " Taylor?"
I look up as Lisa stares back, her grin still fixed, but wavering. I grin back, a nice and toothy grin, " I'm cold..." Lisa eye's widen as I start to pull her in. " Ah that is better," I look down at Lisa's face now pressed against my chest. I'm much taller than her so with her in my bear hug, her feet are not touching the ground. I lock my arms and start walking.
" Taylor, wait I-" Lisa tries to break out of the my locked arms.
" Nope you wanted to play Lisa, I'm now encouraged to as well," I smirk down at her, the freckles across her nose standing out from the blush of her face. I'm pretty cold, and she is much warmer than me. It's like holding a space heater to my chest. Lisa's nose brushes against my autopsy scar...
She is right in front of your mouth, I stop walking.
What do you mean?
I feel the world drop from my view as I focus on the warm Lisa on my chest. She is resting across them, the great seam, my yawning chasm, the maw. My preferred is here and now, she can't run from me. All you need to do is ask....
I look down at the human, my human, in my arms. Her expression changes with my silent view, the struggles become more intense. She cannot escape, I don't need to worry about catching her. All I need is her permission, and then she can be with me. I am so hungry...
I watch as Lisa, covered in my clothes smelling like me, gets scared.
I shake my head as I try to come back down from myself, what was that?
I let go of Lisa and watch as she stumbles back from me, she is looking at me like the doctors did at the hospital. She is looking at me like I'm some sort of animal. I am looking at myself with my ghost, I do look like an animal..." I-, I'm sorry, I didn't, I wouldn't," I would, I want to, Host.
Lisa slowly creeps back towards me, " It is okay Tay, just calm down yeah, take some deep breaths." What is she talking about? I check over myself. My hands are shaking, I didn't even notice. My breathing, which is just more for the black spots on my skin than me, is short and shallow. If I was alive I would be passed out from lack of oxygen, I take a deep breath. My pump which is keeping the flow of materials in me going, slows reflexively as I pull in more materials. The acid in my brain burns less and less as I just stand there breathing.
Lisa just saw that, Lisa the thinker who can tell where you've been just by the dust on your shoes, she just saw me. She just saw my hunger, she could see my desperation. What is worse is that she knows now just who I'm desperate for. I wish I wasn't here, I wish I was just a ghost. " I'm sorry Lisa I didn't mean to do that."
" No, it's okay I started it," Lisa's words hurt, it isn't her fault, " I shouldn't have lead you on like that, I'm not ready for...relationships?"
I flinch at her wording. The fact that it is a question, that what I just did wasn't viewed as some form of romantic proposal hurts the ball of instincts at my core. Good, it shouldn't have been a moron and jump the gun like that. " No no, it is my fault I'm just getting too...attached."
Now it was Lisa's turn to flinch. The lie burns me, I wish I was just getting attached. Attached is more human than, Host. Lisa smiles at me, it looks more like a grimace, " I'm not saying no, I'm just saying too soon, okay?"
I nod and we start back up towards our goal. I walked a head of Lisa for awhile, but she did eventually start walking next to me again. We walk the rest of the way to Parian's shop in silence. How can I be such an idiot, I know that Lisa is smart and her powers make uncovering secrets easy. I wish it went right, but maybe it is better if I let go of it. I don't even know if Lisa likes girls, I'm not sure if what I feel is a crush, but it is physical attraction. It isn't normal for humans though, humans don't want to eat the ones they like...
We reach Parian's shop while I continue to kick myself internally over Lisa. " Lisa?"
Lisa stops, her hand on the door, " yeah..?"
" Do I scare you?"
Lisa looks back at me, she looks like she feels guilty, "...sometimes."
" Sorry, I don't mean to be scary."
Lisa steps away from the door and comes towards me. I stiffen as she pulls me into a hug pressing my head down until my mouth is on her neck. The smell is intense, but I can feel myself relaxing after the first minute. " I trust you more than that Tay."
Her words are more important than the heat and smell, and I feel relief, " thank you."
To Gryphalcon, what makes you so scared for Lisa and Danny