RAVEN: C'mon, you know what Midnite said. Post it!
STORM: -concedes defeat- All right. All right. On ONE condition though.
RAVEN: -grinning evilly- oookaaay. XD
STORM: You put that camera of yours away! I don't want you to record ANYTHING! Nor SAY anything either!
RAVEN: -smile falls- Aww c'mon
STORM: -crosses arms-
RAVEN: -grumbles- All right, fine.
Disclaimer: -rrrring-…-bip- "You have reached Storm Graveheart and she is sad to say that she doesn't own anything except herself. Please leave a message after the beep…"
A/N: I happened to be listening to the song Closer To Perfection by the A-teens and this was born! So this lovely piece also falls under the Fallen Angels Hideout umbrella. You don't have to read the previous fics before this one, but those of you who have…you'll get so much more out of this… -XD-
-xXx-
Closer to Perfection.
"Oh gaaawd, how I hate insomnia."
Storm rested her head in her hands and growled to herself from boredom and stared at the grid surface of the wrought iron garden table. So far this was the second sleepless night experienced this week.
She rested her arms on the table. The surface was cold against her skin as a cool breeze played with the trees standing proudly below and beyond the sundeck.
Storm raised her gaze to the last half moon hanging amongst the stars playing hide and seek between the rifts of the clouds racing across the sky. It will still be another week till the New Moon. Midnite will have to be careful and not die too soon or she'll have to wait a long time before she can gather enough energy to resurrect herself at New Moon's call. Speaking of which, where was Midnite? On some random nights she was seen by the rest of the flock, dressed in the most suggestive black and scarlet outfits and taking her most prized motorcycle out for a spin and coming home no later than three AM.
Some nights she snuck back at dawn…unhurt.
Storm looked at her watch: 03:42, ten minutes had passed yet again.
She sighed and got up quietly so as not to alert the sleeping flock to her presence out here. She silently padded to the edge of the sundeck overlooking the wilderness below. Raising her hand to curl a lock of her blue-black hair behind her right ear, Storm looked to her left at the launch platform hanging out in the open. It kinda reminded you of a gangplank hanging out of a pirate's ship…
Her wings flexed in anticipation behind her. The board looked like a road into a new world. A free world.
How her heart pined to just float on the wind and to let Mother Nature take you places you've never been before. She always has a lot to show you, sadly, the rest of the world…always take her for granted.
Storm sighed. Like Mother Nature, she was too capricious to be truly understood, and it seemed that Midnite and her sister Merla were the only ones to understand that. Everyone before them came and went… and most with scowls on their faces.
A smile made an appearance. Like Mother Nature, Storm cared for those that needed it. Like Mother Nature, the human world uses and abuses her for no good damn reason, and like Mother Nature, Storm would strike back.
So what's so hard for the rest of the world to understand?
"Storm?"
The voice was the rich suave type. There was only one person to have a voice like that and Storm's deep indigo orbs developed a mind of their own and traced till they met with the magenta eyes of Cell standing in the open doorway.
Cell opened his mouth to speak, "Why are you out here at this hour? A life form like you needs their sleep."
Storm let a ghost of a smile tug at her lips, "It seems that my mind has forgotten the meaning of the word for now." Storm admitted.
Cell stood up straight and took a step towards her. "Bad case of insomnia huh?" he confirmed.
"Mm-hm."
"Mind if I join you?" Cell asked.
Thinking back to Cell's reputation among the history books, a question like that would've sounded completely crazy. Almost suicide. Storm mentally slapped herself quickly. He didn't do that shit anymore. Besides, he gave his word after Raven broke the rules and brought him back thus, we wished that the world forget he ever happened. Seems he doesn't want to be blown to H.F.I.L anytime soon, "Sure."
Cell couldn't believe his luck. For months he tried to strike up a conversation with her but it was either at the wrong time or Storm was too vague and kept her distance. He often wondered why that was the case. During the time he observed her conversing with the rest of the 'flock', he concluded that she was not really interested in getting involved with a male involving anything beyond friendship. Look at the rest of the flock. Raven was a little young still but Merla was already involved with Marai Trunks. Her older sister, Uni spent most of her time with Piccolo, and lately he had detected Vegeta's Ki signature nearly masking Midnite's Ki signature on numerous occasions.
So far there has been no record of Storm being involved in that matter at all. She was pure and… free.
The concept almost overwhelmed him as the thought crossed his mind. He quickly stole a glance at her wings where the black feathers had raised in alarm.
He also noticed that the finer muscles hidden under her exposed skin were standing out more than usual, as if she was silently preparing to defend herself against an attack. Yet her demeanor remained calm and her features, relaxed as her indigo eyes remained fixed on the wilderness below.
Either her actions were caused by the cool air, or the reality of having a strong male in her presence was beginning to intimidate her…
Wait… she could read the thoughts of her kin. Could she be reading his right now? Cell manipulated a bit of his own Ki to imprison his mind from outside forces, but her stance didn't even flinch at this. Perhaps it seems that she didn't want to make her predicament look obvious. Her friends were right…Storm did border on a sense of precognition.
It seemed that he would have to stray her train of thought before she grew too distant again…
-xXx-
Storm studied the darkness between the trees in silence. She didn't count on having anyone, especially Cell, keeping her company tonight.
'Oh how I hate it when fate throws a spanner in the works.'
"A squeak sounded and Storm raised her eyes in the direction of the noise and ducked just a bat flew over her head and squeaked again before flying off in search of food.
Storm smiled, "Heh… cute."
"Most ladies don't think so." Cell commented.
Storm gave him a sidelong glance and smirked slightly before looking skyward. "Midnite's been gone along time." she started and looked eastward. A bird chirped in the distance and a few more responded.
"I'm sure she's all right. She's quite capable of defending herself." Cell added as he uncrossed his arms.
"True." Storm agreed and rubbed her arms. The temperature was doing its final drop before the sun rose. The clouds retreated from the east and the half moon lit up the landscape.
"Storm, I need to ask you something."
Storm turned to face Cell silhouetted against the gray eastern sky and Cell marveled as her large eyes reflected the moon.
Storm felt trapped but didn't want to be rude and make her predicament any more obvious. "Can we talk inside rather? It's getting really cold out here." she whispered before turning to the sliding doors leading to the living room.
Cell quickly took hold of her left wrist and Storm spun around in surprise, eyes wide. Cell looked staid… determined to reveal what he had to say…
Naturally, Storm let a hint of seriousness, almost daring to show in her piercing gaze and as well known with her reputation, a strong breeze kicked up in reaction to the developing anxiety in her heart.
Cell's gaze faltered towards the direction of the sudden eastern wind. The air currents must've changed from off-land to offshore. It's just too coincidental. He looked back into Storm's eyes again. It just had to be…
She was intimidated. He could see it flashing across her features mixing with other stern expressions that were merely shadows in her eyes. She was trying desperately to hide her fear behind this façade of defiance that was lying low, waiting to show its true colours…
He inwardly chuckled to himself at the challenge of this rearing up serpent gearing to strike as soon as it felt endangered.
Why was she holding back? Because she respected him?
Cell smiled. He just couldn't resist playing mind games. "You're intimidated."
Her eyes and pupils widened only by a fraction. 'Shit!' Storm thought to herself, 'and here I thought it was something else…' but she still couldn't discern if what Cell said was a question or a statement. She frowned slightly.
Cell didn't let go of her wrist, instead, his eyes glittered as his smirk made center stage and he lifted the feminine hand to his lips and gently planted a kiss to the back of her hand.
Storm mentally sweatdropped. This was not good. Not good at all. Have to think of something… quick! A light bulb moment revealed her salvation and she remembered the door just behind her. It was time to use her weakness as her strength and act like the naïve girl to draw out in so many words what Cell truly had on his mind…
'Come on Storm… say it…SAY IT!'
"So I guess this gentlemen wants to lead me inside?"
The question threw him off completely and was probably worthy of anyone watching to fall over dumbly.
Cell recovered quickly. He certainly didn't expect that response. He smirked again. She truly was unpredictable. This was beginning to be like a game of Chess. It will just be a matter of time before Checkmate is in order. Check 'mate' indeed.
Storm was facing an inward battle not to burst out laughing and failing miserably at it. It bubbled up and she smiled like a Cheshire cat and nearly doubled over, struggling with herself not to wake up the 'neighborhood'. "…I'm sorry…" she started, fighting the blush that was threatening to surface. "Oh Kami… your expression-"
"If only Raven was here. Hmm." Cell raised a brow, looking slightly amused at the scene unfolding before him.
Storm grappled for air, "Yeah…wait, No!"
(…Check…
Storm nearly paled at the look on his face, 'Oh…Pauk.' She took a weary step back only to feel the adjoining wall hug her wings. How the pauk did the wall get that close? In her giggling fit, Storm didn't realize that she had walked back slightly to keep her balance.
Cell's smirk broadened and he lifted both his arms and placed them against the wall either side of her so she was trapped. He smirked.
Right. Now's the time to be strong and NOT FREAK OUT!
Storm mentally sweatdropped again and tried not to hyperventilate. She swallowed the lump in her throat and crossed her arms, frowning, "Okay…this is not a joke anymore."
"Whoever said I was joking?" Cell drawled.
'Meep!' "Come on, man, seriously!" Storm chided as she pushed against his chest. He didn't budge but seemed smitten to have hands on him. Then it hit her, "…What?"
Cell beamed, "I said: whoever said I was joking?"
Storm blinked and Cell chanced moving his right hand from the wall to caress her cheek so if she DID decide to I.T. out of this, he'd end up going with her and she wouldn't chance that.
…mate.)
Storm closed her eyes, "Look…I… respect you Cell…a-and you're…"
Cell had leaned in and was taking in the scent of her hair. "Pushing it?" he breathed and Storm gasped when she felt sharp teeth barely touch the flesh between her neck and shoulder…
Cell looked up again. "I didn't come here to 'push my luck' but it does seem that your friend, Midnite is on her way…" He admitted and stood up, "I look forward to our next meeting." He gave a slight bow. "Until next time." He finished and vanished into thin air.
Storm stood there, blinking at the teal and yellow washed sky trying to collect her thoughts and took in a shaky breath. 'How the…?'
"Dude, I said don't wait up. What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
Storm looked up at Midnite and shook her senses clear, "Erm… It's not that…Insomnia again, is all. By the way, where the hell were you?"
Midnite sweatdropped, "That's not important. Want to get some coffee started. I could sure use a strong cup of coffee and you look like you need it too."
Storm studied her. She was still refusing to reveal her nocturnal outing's whereabouts. Not to worry though…we'll catch her out somenight…
Storm shrugged and followed Midnite to the kitchen to brew that much needed jug of caffeine. As she sat there, leaning on the counter talking to Midnite about other matters, Storm couldn't help thinking to herself about being so close to perfection.
-xXx-
…
…
…
RAVEN: See? That was SO cute!
STORM: Just don't flame me and ruin my good mood, you might find The Day After Tomorrow will come sooner than you think!
RAVEN: …Eep. Uhh…here Storm, have some chocolate…ehehe
STORM: I miss my pets, Monsoon and Katrina…
RAVEN: -squeaks- Storm!
…-Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep-