Five minutes later, she returned to the bus, climbing the stairs to find him with her backpack and a plastic sack on her arm. Her eyes darted until she found Fox.
Fox came to her, grinning lopsidedly. "Hope ya dun min' back seat ta much," he said simply, nodding towards it to show that it was empty.
She shook her head and smiled softly. "I actually prefer it... Less people staring when I get nervous." She moved with him to the back seat, letting him take window, and sat down beside him. The seat were close to comfortable, but not quite.
When they were settled in their seats Fox looked out the window, leaning back in his, comfortable enough for him. He wanted to talk to her, to thank her for showing up after Stone had kicked him out, but he had no idea where to begin.
She settled the bag under her seat, her backpack in front of her on the ground. She settled back in the seat, eyes closed with a soft sigh. She was still exhausted from her travels to come see him. With no railing in-between them, their sides easily touched.
Fox almost jumped from his seat in surprise more then anything else. Fortunately he managed not to, but there was an easily noted flinch.
Her eyes opened and she glanced at him, before she herself registered that they were touching. She moved slightly over, pressing into the hand bar on the other side. "Sorry.."
Fox, held a hand out just slightly in something of a stop gesture, "Nah, dun worry bout it, jus' was... startled..."
She brushed a lock of black hair from her cheek, and smiled a bit. "Well, sorry to have startled you then." She relaxed, their sides not exactly touching, but close enough.
Fox pulled his the hood of his hoodie up over his face so that he could lean his head back as well, waiting not for anything in particular, really, but, just waiting, trying to decide what he wanted to do for the bus trip. It would be a long one, that much was for sure.
"Oh, I almost forgot." She reached into the plastic bag under her, and handed him a book. "I saw this book and thought you'd like it for the trip." It was the Norton Anthology Travel Version. "It has a lot of ancient works and stories from before the 13th century. I have a bookshelf copy at home and I love it... I thought you'd enjoy reading some."
Fox's eyes went incredibly bright as he sat up rather abruptly wincing as he had probably pulled up a bit too fast. He grinned, "Thanks," he said softly, taking it. His grin widened a bit then, "An' nah jus fer theh book."
Her cheeks tinged a bit pink, and she smiled at him. "You're welcome... I'm sure you will enjoy it. I don't think I'll be very good company on this trip. I think I'll be sleeping most of the way."
Fox shrugged lightly. "All the more thanks I owe ya, I think," he said softly, "ya didn' need ta come lookin' fer me, 'specialy not so 'ard as it was."
She gently smiled, leaning full back in the seat. "Yes, I did, Fox..." She closed her eyes, and left it at those last soft words. The bus started, and they were off.
Fox's forehead furrowed up but he shrugged then, opening the book to read as the bus began to move.
The time stretched on. Chameleon woke long enough to eat some of the sandwiches she'd bought, and offered them to him as well.
Fox took one of the sandwiches with a nod of thanks, closing the book while he ate.
She nursed a soda as more time passed. Soon, she was asleep again. As the sun began to set, he realized he too had dozed of, because when he woke, it was dark, and her head was against his shoulder.
Though Fox didn't move after waking, he was a bit surprised he hadn't woken up when Chameleons head had come to rest on his shoulder. He mentally shrugged it off though, listening around them and not moving for fear of waking her.
The bus finally slowed to a stop outside of a cheap motel. It slowly rocked, and Chameleon startled a little. "Hm.. mm?" She slowly raised her head as she began to wake.
Fox's eyes darted to look out the window, and then back to Chameleon. "We've stopped," he said softly.
"Oh... Good..." She stood up, her back cracking a bit as she stretched with a small grunt. "Ow..." She moved into the isle, gathering her belongings and let him out. "Let's go get a room..?"
Fox stood up, giving a nod as he stretched sore muscles, greeted by rebelling nerves. "Yeah, prolly do tha'..."
She led him off the bus and to the check in counter. There was one vacancy. She sighed and took it, leading without complaint, and began to lead him towards the room. "Sorry, Fox... There's only one room open. Hope you don't mind sharing."
Fox shrugged roughly, "Nah, I dun min'."
"Good." She opened the door, and handed him the key, trusting him with it. Once inside, she dropped the backpack. "I'm gotta take a shower... It's just getting sad," she grumbled more to herself than him.
Fox shrugged not giving any more in answer then that as he set down his own backpack. He sat down on the bed then, falling back softly, his hooded head hitting a pillow.
He heard the shower going and the smell of the cheap shampoo filled the air - not bad, just tell tale. She emerged wearing her t-shirt, with weary eyes, and she sat down on the edge of the bed, slowly rubbing her eyes. "Damn..." she murmured.
Fox's turned his head to her just slightly. "Wha?" he questioned at a half-mutter.
"I have a headache like you wouldn't believe."
Fox winced in sympathy. "Oh," he said softly, uncertain what else to say.
She dropped the wet towel on the ground and slid up to the head of the bed, resting her head on a pillow and sighing softly.
Fox sat up then, pulling off his boots before laying back down, staring up at the ceiling.
She turned off the light and laid back down with a soft sigh, watching Fox in the darkness. "... Good night, Fox..."
"Night," he said softly, still staring, though there wasn't much to stare at considering the absence of the light, more listening now, the sounds of the ac, not just their room but others, the ice machine, Chameleon breathing, a couple fighting several rooms down. Random sounds, he was lucky he'd grown up sleeping in this type of setting otherwise he'd never sleep. But as it was he found sleep taking him already.
Several hours later, he woke when it grew warm, and realized she'd moved to him in her sleep, curled up so close she was less than an inch from touching him
Fox slid from the bed slowly, head tilted as he looked down at chameleon, wondering if there was something about body heat that drew sleeping people closer. He shrugged it off, heading into the bathroom to take his own shower now, that was... if this was one of those cheap motels with the weenie showers, verses the super jet powered variety, more rare, but in just as cheap of motels.
Lucky for him, the shower head was almost as weak as the sink faucet. Enough to wash shampoo out of hair, but not much more than that. He heard Chameleon moan a bit and turn over in her sleep, dreaming of something.
Fox changed in the bathroom after finishing the shower, stepping out fairly soon, head tilted just slightly. He had yet to put on hoodie or gloves yet though, and his shoes lay by the bed where he'd kicked them off. The barbed wire tattoo wasn't covered at all by the tee, and the fox showed somewhat through the wet back. He sat down, careful not to scrape his arms against anything.
Chameleon slowly woke, realizing she was lone. She saw Fox across the room and sighed a little. "Hey... what time is it...?"
Fox shrugged lightly, eyes darting to the alarm clock across the room before he answered, "ta forty eight...eh...nine."
"Why you up so early?' she murmured as she sat up.
Fox shrugged, "Got ta warm," he said in simple answer.
"So open the window..." she purred softly, and curled up into the bed again, the covers thrown off.
Fox shook his head just a bit. "Then would be ta cold," he muttered, not bothering to point out what had probably woken him was body heat, considering how often he was too hot with his typical clothing. Shrugging he pulled the hoodie back on, lying down again on the bed to try to force himself to fall asleep.
She was already back asleep, and dreaming... odd dreams. Or so they seemed from her mumbling. Her power kept flashing, going transparent for split seconds with emotions
Fox's eyes drifted to Chameleon, but he did nothing not sure if it would be best to wake her or just leave her to the dreams, and thus doing nothing.
She shuddered sharply and moaned in her sleep, pulling her arms under her head and burying her face into the crook of her elbow. Her bare legs shook with emotion, her arms doing the same as her powers continued to flicker. He thought he heard his name, an emotion like fear behind it.
Fox finally chose to wake her, bringing his bare hands into the sleeves of his hoodie before resting them on her shoulder. "Chameleon, is aight," he said softly, "Jus' a nightmare..."
She gasped sharply and twisted sharply, grabbing his wrists, a look of fear and fury deep in her eyes as she yanked him down, pinning him to the bed under her as she straddled his waist, and bringing her fist back. Slowly, recognition began to glow in her eyes, and she slowly lowered her arm. "...Fox...?"
Fox's eyes were wide, "Sorry," he said softly, stunned, color more then half shifted, "ya were 'avin' a nightmare, I jus'... sorry..."
She swallowed hard, and leaned down, hugging him tightly, shaking hard, and tears sliding down her cheeks into the shoulder of his hoodie. "Fox, I... I'm... sorry..."
Fox closed his eyes, stiffer as she hugged him, slowly shifting back to a normal color. "Wha' were ya dreamin'?" he questioned cautiously, voice wavering.
She shook her head and raised her head, looking down at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "It's... n-not important..." she whispered gently, her body still shaking like a leaf.
Fox forced something of a smug grin, trying not to look worried, nervous and in some small measure of pain all at once. "So am I comfy?"
She blinked a second, and her body went ridged for a second before she scrambled off of him, and sat at his side, her cheeks the same red color as the flowers on the blankets. "I..." She swallowed hard. "Sorry, Fox...."
Fox chuckled shrugged lightly, smirking impishly. "Eh.. I dun min', it's not e'eryday a guy has a pretty girl on toppa 'im.."
Her blush turned brighter and she shied her head, the blush so profound it made her throat and shoulders red. "... That's sweet of you to say, Fox..." she said softly, and looked up at him, a small smile on her lips.
Fox's smirked went lopsided, but he merely shrugged in response.
She brushed her hair from her cheeks, and laid back down on the bed on her back. "... I really am sorry if I hurt or scared you. I'm not used to people waking me from a nightmare.:
Fox shrugged again. "Yeah, guess nah, buh, I'm still wonderin' wha' 'appened... unless ya'd ratheh nah say..."
She tucked her arm behind her head, the breeze from the window slowly tugging a few strands of her hair. "I don't know if you wanna know, Fox..."
Fox's forehead furrowed, "Is... wazzit.. morbid, curiosity, ain't dat wantin' ta know wacha dun wanna know?"
She smiled slightly. "Yeh... Morbid curiosity." She sighed a little... I was dreaming about... Maria..." She closed her eyes slowly. "She was a mutant... we lived together after we both got kicked out of our homes..." She sighed, and lifted up a shirt, showing him a long scar on her stomach. "Four human activists jumped us one night..." She closed her eyes, tears forming.
Fox winced slightly. "Ya dun need to go on, if ya dun wanna," he softly, curious, but deciding he didn't need to know more if it would hurt her to say it.
She slid down her shirt. "... I was dreaming it was you instead of Maria..."
Fox winced again, head tilted. "Oh," he mouthed, but it was all he could manage.
She sighed slowly and turned her head, looking at him, but didn't say anything.
Fox offered her a small smile, it was all he could offer, "But I'm still 'ere, an' only place I'm goin', we're goin'."
She swallowed softly, and closed her eyes. She leaned in, and hugged him tightly. "I was afraid... that..."
Fox didn't hug back, but he didn't pull away either, "Afraid tha' wha?"
"... That you were dead..."
Fox gave a small attempt at an overconfident grin, "Duncha remembeh' wha' I told ya firs' time, nuttin cin kill Fox..."
She smiled softly. "Yeh... I remember..." She smiled a little wider, and finally slid her arm away, feeling the discomfort...
Fox turned over so that he was staring at the ceiling. "Good thin' all we're doin' tomorrah's a bus ride, dun seem ta be gettin' ta much sleep."
She smiled a little. "Yeh... I'm not very tired anymore." She glanced at the clock. "And we got five hours till the bus leaves..."
Fox gave a small nod, sitting up some. "Me neitheh," he paused giving a shrug, "Wanna go fer a walk?"
She shrugged some. "Alright. Sounds good."
Fox pushed himself off the bed with a grin back at her, pulling on his gloves before seeking out his shoes.
She slid up off the bed, and pulled on her jeans, running a hand through her hair as she yawned softly, stretching.
Fox stretched just a bit with a wince after he pulled his backpack on, glancing back to her. "Ready yet," he questioned with a lopsided grin, still damp hair falling into his face past the hood.
She turned back to him and smiled a bit, grabbing the key off the counter, and moving past him to lock the window. "Yeah, I'm ready."
Fox nodded, headed for the door, and opening it, waiting for her to come out first, grinning still, now almost boyishly.
She smiled a bit, closing her eyes as the warm breeze brushed over her cheeks and fluttered her shirt and hair. All was silent, except for the crickets, and the hum of the vending and ice machines.
Fox shut the door behind them, pushing his hands into his pockets, not because they were cold in their gloves on the warm night, but just, because. His eyes drifted about and he almost felt like risking taking off the hoodie. He decided not to, though, deciding better too warm with it then scraping into something without it. "Nice night," he said simply, bluntly, not for any reason really, other then that, it was pretty true.
She nodded softly, her hands tucked into the small of her back as she looked up at the sky, the moon shining brightly down. "Yes... it's a very nice night.."
He began forward, not headed in any direction particularly, just walking, taking in everything.
she closed her eyes for a few moments, taking in the soft smell of the night, and she softly smiled.
Fox made sure neither fell too far away from the other, ever alert to the slightest of sound, though he didn't seem to be. Overall he was relaxed, some part of him off in another world all together.
She blinked as she found herself staring at him again, and hoped he hadn't realized as she turned her head away, looking straight. She sighed with relaxation in the soft air. She was clean, fed, and mostly rested.
Fox glanced over at her in a wandering gaze, letting it pass over her and back around, shifting upwards to catch in the stars, so many and so bright, enough to make one feel very small. His thoughts drifted back to Stone, and curiosity, funny of all the questions that plagued his mind, the one most brilliant in it's allusiveness was the ever-gnawing, why...
"... Fox...?" she said very softly, not looking up. "... Do you wanna talk about what happened with Stone...?" she murmured.
Fox shrugged softly, gaze falling back on her. "Dunno," was all he could manage to say.
She glanced at him. "... Sometimes it helps to talk after... something like that happens."
He shrugged again, hands pulled from his pocket this time. He held them out in front of him, looking down at the gloves. "Maybe, buh'," he paused, shrugging again, "wha would I say 'bout it?"
"How you feel... I don't know... I guess I shouldn't really be talking." She looked down at her hands. "I didn't talk much, either."
Fox tilted his head just slightly. "How bout dis, ya talk ta me, I'll talk ta ya, Ya firs' though. I mean, yer still 'avin' nightmares..."
She nodded a little. "... When I get close to someone, they start coming back... She could have run... She stayed to help me fight them off. She would still be alive if it wasn't for me..."
Fox glanced down, "Buh she made de choice, notcha." He turned some, taking one of her hands with his, "An' she prolly made deh choice cause ya were worth it." He didn't know the person and his words sounded stupid to even him, but he said them anyway.
She felt a wave of comfort wash over when he touched her hand, even if it was through the gloves. "... What a concept... Me... worth... someone else..." She closed her eyes and gave his hand a small squeeze. "I would do anything to go back that night and make her leave..."
Fox didn't release at the squeeze, though he had to fight himself so as not to pull away. "An' if ya did she prolly woulda done anythin' ta go back an 'elp ya again..."
A tear fell down her cheek. "... She died for me, Fox... she was my sister, in every sense but blood... and I let those bastards..." she trailed off
Fox didn't push her, didn't say anything, but just... was there, not pulling away his hand, listening.
She let out a slow sigh, and looked up at him, wiping the tear from her cheek as she did. "S-Sorry." She shook her head an let out a breath.
Fox shook his head softly, "Nah, dun be, I asked fer it, 'membeh?"
She nodded a bit. "Right.." She rubbed her forehead a little. "... Now you tell me something..."
Fox shrugged, one hand sliding back into his pocket. "Dunno," he began so softly he was barely audible, "I jus', his kickin' me out, I guess I could see dat, but... he sol' me out. Sol' me out 'fore he knew..."
She cocked her head slightly, but was quiet. She didn't know the whole story...
He knew he needed to explain somehow, so it would make sense, but he had no idea where to begin. "I went missin' fer a yeah, I remembeh up till I was kidnapped, but nuttin after until the blur ah Stone savin' me. He ne'er spoke 'bout it, ne'er gave me more on it, I guess I know why."
She lowered her head a bit. She didn't say anything. She knew exactly how he felt... betrayed by someone he'd cared about and trusted, maybe even loved as a father.
Fox fell silent as well, unable to think of anything else to say.
"... I'm sorry you had to feel it, Fox. I wouldn't wish it on anyone to feel that kind of pain."
Fox just shrugged softly, still not speaking, eyes drifting once more.
"Mind if I do this...?" She slid near him, hooking her elbow inside of his so that when they walked, as she began to do again, they were close.
Fox shook his head lightly, "Nah, I dun min'."
"Good... I feel safer like this," she said softly. She wondered why he was so much taller than her... She herself was in very short stature, a petit little thing that looked like she was swimming in a size medium.
Fox's only response was a small nod as his mind seemed, once again, to be drifting.
Neither said anything, and in an hour or so, they'd swung around back to the hotel room. She looked up at him. "We might as well try to get some more sleep before the bus ride. That's not exactly a peaceful ride."
Fox nodded softly, "Nah it ain't," he said simply, head tilted a bit.
She unlocked the door and led him inside, putting the key down and opening the window again.
Fox sat lightly on the bed, pulling his shoes off... again.
She slid off her shoes and he heard her zip off her jeans, unable to sleep in them in the hot temperature. She stretched out and sighed. "... Thank you for coming with me, Fox..."
Fox shrugged, knowing she probably couldn't see the shrug, and thus added a soft, "yeah," before lying down on the bed.
She curled up on her side, watching him... watching as he began to fall asleep, keeping far enough back to keep form disturbing him
Fox did fall asleep soon enough, the endless wandering of his mind shifting into dreams.
She watched him for the longest time, slowly moving up, and kissing his cheek, before curling up beside him for sleep. "... Thank you, Fox..." she whispered as she drifted off
Fox practically jumped out of the bed from sleep at that, only by restraint of knowledge did he not do so. His eyes fell on her as she fell asleep herself, and he wondered if she knew that she'd woken him. He just shrugged it off, drifting back to sleep himself.
Fox came to her, grinning lopsidedly. "Hope ya dun min' back seat ta much," he said simply, nodding towards it to show that it was empty.
She shook her head and smiled softly. "I actually prefer it... Less people staring when I get nervous." She moved with him to the back seat, letting him take window, and sat down beside him. The seat were close to comfortable, but not quite.
When they were settled in their seats Fox looked out the window, leaning back in his, comfortable enough for him. He wanted to talk to her, to thank her for showing up after Stone had kicked him out, but he had no idea where to begin.
She settled the bag under her seat, her backpack in front of her on the ground. She settled back in the seat, eyes closed with a soft sigh. She was still exhausted from her travels to come see him. With no railing in-between them, their sides easily touched.
Fox almost jumped from his seat in surprise more then anything else. Fortunately he managed not to, but there was an easily noted flinch.
Her eyes opened and she glanced at him, before she herself registered that they were touching. She moved slightly over, pressing into the hand bar on the other side. "Sorry.."
Fox, held a hand out just slightly in something of a stop gesture, "Nah, dun worry bout it, jus' was... startled..."
She brushed a lock of black hair from her cheek, and smiled a bit. "Well, sorry to have startled you then." She relaxed, their sides not exactly touching, but close enough.
Fox pulled his the hood of his hoodie up over his face so that he could lean his head back as well, waiting not for anything in particular, really, but, just waiting, trying to decide what he wanted to do for the bus trip. It would be a long one, that much was for sure.
"Oh, I almost forgot." She reached into the plastic bag under her, and handed him a book. "I saw this book and thought you'd like it for the trip." It was the Norton Anthology Travel Version. "It has a lot of ancient works and stories from before the 13th century. I have a bookshelf copy at home and I love it... I thought you'd enjoy reading some."
Fox's eyes went incredibly bright as he sat up rather abruptly wincing as he had probably pulled up a bit too fast. He grinned, "Thanks," he said softly, taking it. His grin widened a bit then, "An' nah jus fer theh book."
Her cheeks tinged a bit pink, and she smiled at him. "You're welcome... I'm sure you will enjoy it. I don't think I'll be very good company on this trip. I think I'll be sleeping most of the way."
Fox shrugged lightly. "All the more thanks I owe ya, I think," he said softly, "ya didn' need ta come lookin' fer me, 'specialy not so 'ard as it was."
She gently smiled, leaning full back in the seat. "Yes, I did, Fox..." She closed her eyes, and left it at those last soft words. The bus started, and they were off.
Fox's forehead furrowed up but he shrugged then, opening the book to read as the bus began to move.
The time stretched on. Chameleon woke long enough to eat some of the sandwiches she'd bought, and offered them to him as well.
Fox took one of the sandwiches with a nod of thanks, closing the book while he ate.
She nursed a soda as more time passed. Soon, she was asleep again. As the sun began to set, he realized he too had dozed of, because when he woke, it was dark, and her head was against his shoulder.
Though Fox didn't move after waking, he was a bit surprised he hadn't woken up when Chameleons head had come to rest on his shoulder. He mentally shrugged it off though, listening around them and not moving for fear of waking her.
The bus finally slowed to a stop outside of a cheap motel. It slowly rocked, and Chameleon startled a little. "Hm.. mm?" She slowly raised her head as she began to wake.
Fox's eyes darted to look out the window, and then back to Chameleon. "We've stopped," he said softly.
"Oh... Good..." She stood up, her back cracking a bit as she stretched with a small grunt. "Ow..." She moved into the isle, gathering her belongings and let him out. "Let's go get a room..?"
Fox stood up, giving a nod as he stretched sore muscles, greeted by rebelling nerves. "Yeah, prolly do tha'..."
She led him off the bus and to the check in counter. There was one vacancy. She sighed and took it, leading without complaint, and began to lead him towards the room. "Sorry, Fox... There's only one room open. Hope you don't mind sharing."
Fox shrugged roughly, "Nah, I dun min'."
"Good." She opened the door, and handed him the key, trusting him with it. Once inside, she dropped the backpack. "I'm gotta take a shower... It's just getting sad," she grumbled more to herself than him.
Fox shrugged not giving any more in answer then that as he set down his own backpack. He sat down on the bed then, falling back softly, his hooded head hitting a pillow.
He heard the shower going and the smell of the cheap shampoo filled the air - not bad, just tell tale. She emerged wearing her t-shirt, with weary eyes, and she sat down on the edge of the bed, slowly rubbing her eyes. "Damn..." she murmured.
Fox's turned his head to her just slightly. "Wha?" he questioned at a half-mutter.
"I have a headache like you wouldn't believe."
Fox winced in sympathy. "Oh," he said softly, uncertain what else to say.
She dropped the wet towel on the ground and slid up to the head of the bed, resting her head on a pillow and sighing softly.
Fox sat up then, pulling off his boots before laying back down, staring up at the ceiling.
She turned off the light and laid back down with a soft sigh, watching Fox in the darkness. "... Good night, Fox..."
"Night," he said softly, still staring, though there wasn't much to stare at considering the absence of the light, more listening now, the sounds of the ac, not just their room but others, the ice machine, Chameleon breathing, a couple fighting several rooms down. Random sounds, he was lucky he'd grown up sleeping in this type of setting otherwise he'd never sleep. But as it was he found sleep taking him already.
Several hours later, he woke when it grew warm, and realized she'd moved to him in her sleep, curled up so close she was less than an inch from touching him
Fox slid from the bed slowly, head tilted as he looked down at chameleon, wondering if there was something about body heat that drew sleeping people closer. He shrugged it off, heading into the bathroom to take his own shower now, that was... if this was one of those cheap motels with the weenie showers, verses the super jet powered variety, more rare, but in just as cheap of motels.
Lucky for him, the shower head was almost as weak as the sink faucet. Enough to wash shampoo out of hair, but not much more than that. He heard Chameleon moan a bit and turn over in her sleep, dreaming of something.
Fox changed in the bathroom after finishing the shower, stepping out fairly soon, head tilted just slightly. He had yet to put on hoodie or gloves yet though, and his shoes lay by the bed where he'd kicked them off. The barbed wire tattoo wasn't covered at all by the tee, and the fox showed somewhat through the wet back. He sat down, careful not to scrape his arms against anything.
Chameleon slowly woke, realizing she was lone. She saw Fox across the room and sighed a little. "Hey... what time is it...?"
Fox shrugged lightly, eyes darting to the alarm clock across the room before he answered, "ta forty eight...eh...nine."
"Why you up so early?' she murmured as she sat up.
Fox shrugged, "Got ta warm," he said in simple answer.
"So open the window..." she purred softly, and curled up into the bed again, the covers thrown off.
Fox shook his head just a bit. "Then would be ta cold," he muttered, not bothering to point out what had probably woken him was body heat, considering how often he was too hot with his typical clothing. Shrugging he pulled the hoodie back on, lying down again on the bed to try to force himself to fall asleep.
She was already back asleep, and dreaming... odd dreams. Or so they seemed from her mumbling. Her power kept flashing, going transparent for split seconds with emotions
Fox's eyes drifted to Chameleon, but he did nothing not sure if it would be best to wake her or just leave her to the dreams, and thus doing nothing.
She shuddered sharply and moaned in her sleep, pulling her arms under her head and burying her face into the crook of her elbow. Her bare legs shook with emotion, her arms doing the same as her powers continued to flicker. He thought he heard his name, an emotion like fear behind it.
Fox finally chose to wake her, bringing his bare hands into the sleeves of his hoodie before resting them on her shoulder. "Chameleon, is aight," he said softly, "Jus' a nightmare..."
She gasped sharply and twisted sharply, grabbing his wrists, a look of fear and fury deep in her eyes as she yanked him down, pinning him to the bed under her as she straddled his waist, and bringing her fist back. Slowly, recognition began to glow in her eyes, and she slowly lowered her arm. "...Fox...?"
Fox's eyes were wide, "Sorry," he said softly, stunned, color more then half shifted, "ya were 'avin' a nightmare, I jus'... sorry..."
She swallowed hard, and leaned down, hugging him tightly, shaking hard, and tears sliding down her cheeks into the shoulder of his hoodie. "Fox, I... I'm... sorry..."
Fox closed his eyes, stiffer as she hugged him, slowly shifting back to a normal color. "Wha' were ya dreamin'?" he questioned cautiously, voice wavering.
She shook her head and raised her head, looking down at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "It's... n-not important..." she whispered gently, her body still shaking like a leaf.
Fox forced something of a smug grin, trying not to look worried, nervous and in some small measure of pain all at once. "So am I comfy?"
She blinked a second, and her body went ridged for a second before she scrambled off of him, and sat at his side, her cheeks the same red color as the flowers on the blankets. "I..." She swallowed hard. "Sorry, Fox...."
Fox chuckled shrugged lightly, smirking impishly. "Eh.. I dun min', it's not e'eryday a guy has a pretty girl on toppa 'im.."
Her blush turned brighter and she shied her head, the blush so profound it made her throat and shoulders red. "... That's sweet of you to say, Fox..." she said softly, and looked up at him, a small smile on her lips.
Fox's smirked went lopsided, but he merely shrugged in response.
She brushed her hair from her cheeks, and laid back down on the bed on her back. "... I really am sorry if I hurt or scared you. I'm not used to people waking me from a nightmare.:
Fox shrugged again. "Yeah, guess nah, buh, I'm still wonderin' wha' 'appened... unless ya'd ratheh nah say..."
She tucked her arm behind her head, the breeze from the window slowly tugging a few strands of her hair. "I don't know if you wanna know, Fox..."
Fox's forehead furrowed, "Is... wazzit.. morbid, curiosity, ain't dat wantin' ta know wacha dun wanna know?"
She smiled slightly. "Yeh... Morbid curiosity." She sighed a little... I was dreaming about... Maria..." She closed her eyes slowly. "She was a mutant... we lived together after we both got kicked out of our homes..." She sighed, and lifted up a shirt, showing him a long scar on her stomach. "Four human activists jumped us one night..." She closed her eyes, tears forming.
Fox winced slightly. "Ya dun need to go on, if ya dun wanna," he softly, curious, but deciding he didn't need to know more if it would hurt her to say it.
She slid down her shirt. "... I was dreaming it was you instead of Maria..."
Fox winced again, head tilted. "Oh," he mouthed, but it was all he could manage.
She sighed slowly and turned her head, looking at him, but didn't say anything.
Fox offered her a small smile, it was all he could offer, "But I'm still 'ere, an' only place I'm goin', we're goin'."
She swallowed softly, and closed her eyes. She leaned in, and hugged him tightly. "I was afraid... that..."
Fox didn't hug back, but he didn't pull away either, "Afraid tha' wha?"
"... That you were dead..."
Fox gave a small attempt at an overconfident grin, "Duncha remembeh' wha' I told ya firs' time, nuttin cin kill Fox..."
She smiled softly. "Yeh... I remember..." She smiled a little wider, and finally slid her arm away, feeling the discomfort...
Fox turned over so that he was staring at the ceiling. "Good thin' all we're doin' tomorrah's a bus ride, dun seem ta be gettin' ta much sleep."
She smiled a little. "Yeh... I'm not very tired anymore." She glanced at the clock. "And we got five hours till the bus leaves..."
Fox gave a small nod, sitting up some. "Me neitheh," he paused giving a shrug, "Wanna go fer a walk?"
She shrugged some. "Alright. Sounds good."
Fox pushed himself off the bed with a grin back at her, pulling on his gloves before seeking out his shoes.
She slid up off the bed, and pulled on her jeans, running a hand through her hair as she yawned softly, stretching.
Fox stretched just a bit with a wince after he pulled his backpack on, glancing back to her. "Ready yet," he questioned with a lopsided grin, still damp hair falling into his face past the hood.
She turned back to him and smiled a bit, grabbing the key off the counter, and moving past him to lock the window. "Yeah, I'm ready."
Fox nodded, headed for the door, and opening it, waiting for her to come out first, grinning still, now almost boyishly.
She smiled a bit, closing her eyes as the warm breeze brushed over her cheeks and fluttered her shirt and hair. All was silent, except for the crickets, and the hum of the vending and ice machines.
Fox shut the door behind them, pushing his hands into his pockets, not because they were cold in their gloves on the warm night, but just, because. His eyes drifted about and he almost felt like risking taking off the hoodie. He decided not to, though, deciding better too warm with it then scraping into something without it. "Nice night," he said simply, bluntly, not for any reason really, other then that, it was pretty true.
She nodded softly, her hands tucked into the small of her back as she looked up at the sky, the moon shining brightly down. "Yes... it's a very nice night.."
He began forward, not headed in any direction particularly, just walking, taking in everything.
she closed her eyes for a few moments, taking in the soft smell of the night, and she softly smiled.
Fox made sure neither fell too far away from the other, ever alert to the slightest of sound, though he didn't seem to be. Overall he was relaxed, some part of him off in another world all together.
She blinked as she found herself staring at him again, and hoped he hadn't realized as she turned her head away, looking straight. She sighed with relaxation in the soft air. She was clean, fed, and mostly rested.
Fox glanced over at her in a wandering gaze, letting it pass over her and back around, shifting upwards to catch in the stars, so many and so bright, enough to make one feel very small. His thoughts drifted back to Stone, and curiosity, funny of all the questions that plagued his mind, the one most brilliant in it's allusiveness was the ever-gnawing, why...
"... Fox...?" she said very softly, not looking up. "... Do you wanna talk about what happened with Stone...?" she murmured.
Fox shrugged softly, gaze falling back on her. "Dunno," was all he could manage to say.
She glanced at him. "... Sometimes it helps to talk after... something like that happens."
He shrugged again, hands pulled from his pocket this time. He held them out in front of him, looking down at the gloves. "Maybe, buh'," he paused, shrugging again, "wha would I say 'bout it?"
"How you feel... I don't know... I guess I shouldn't really be talking." She looked down at her hands. "I didn't talk much, either."
Fox tilted his head just slightly. "How bout dis, ya talk ta me, I'll talk ta ya, Ya firs' though. I mean, yer still 'avin' nightmares..."
She nodded a little. "... When I get close to someone, they start coming back... She could have run... She stayed to help me fight them off. She would still be alive if it wasn't for me..."
Fox glanced down, "Buh she made de choice, notcha." He turned some, taking one of her hands with his, "An' she prolly made deh choice cause ya were worth it." He didn't know the person and his words sounded stupid to even him, but he said them anyway.
She felt a wave of comfort wash over when he touched her hand, even if it was through the gloves. "... What a concept... Me... worth... someone else..." She closed her eyes and gave his hand a small squeeze. "I would do anything to go back that night and make her leave..."
Fox didn't release at the squeeze, though he had to fight himself so as not to pull away. "An' if ya did she prolly woulda done anythin' ta go back an 'elp ya again..."
A tear fell down her cheek. "... She died for me, Fox... she was my sister, in every sense but blood... and I let those bastards..." she trailed off
Fox didn't push her, didn't say anything, but just... was there, not pulling away his hand, listening.
She let out a slow sigh, and looked up at him, wiping the tear from her cheek as she did. "S-Sorry." She shook her head an let out a breath.
Fox shook his head softly, "Nah, dun be, I asked fer it, 'membeh?"
She nodded a bit. "Right.." She rubbed her forehead a little. "... Now you tell me something..."
Fox shrugged, one hand sliding back into his pocket. "Dunno," he began so softly he was barely audible, "I jus', his kickin' me out, I guess I could see dat, but... he sol' me out. Sol' me out 'fore he knew..."
She cocked her head slightly, but was quiet. She didn't know the whole story...
He knew he needed to explain somehow, so it would make sense, but he had no idea where to begin. "I went missin' fer a yeah, I remembeh up till I was kidnapped, but nuttin after until the blur ah Stone savin' me. He ne'er spoke 'bout it, ne'er gave me more on it, I guess I know why."
She lowered her head a bit. She didn't say anything. She knew exactly how he felt... betrayed by someone he'd cared about and trusted, maybe even loved as a father.
Fox fell silent as well, unable to think of anything else to say.
"... I'm sorry you had to feel it, Fox. I wouldn't wish it on anyone to feel that kind of pain."
Fox just shrugged softly, still not speaking, eyes drifting once more.
"Mind if I do this...?" She slid near him, hooking her elbow inside of his so that when they walked, as she began to do again, they were close.
Fox shook his head lightly, "Nah, I dun min'."
"Good... I feel safer like this," she said softly. She wondered why he was so much taller than her... She herself was in very short stature, a petit little thing that looked like she was swimming in a size medium.
Fox's only response was a small nod as his mind seemed, once again, to be drifting.
Neither said anything, and in an hour or so, they'd swung around back to the hotel room. She looked up at him. "We might as well try to get some more sleep before the bus ride. That's not exactly a peaceful ride."
Fox nodded softly, "Nah it ain't," he said simply, head tilted a bit.
She unlocked the door and led him inside, putting the key down and opening the window again.
Fox sat lightly on the bed, pulling his shoes off... again.
She slid off her shoes and he heard her zip off her jeans, unable to sleep in them in the hot temperature. She stretched out and sighed. "... Thank you for coming with me, Fox..."
Fox shrugged, knowing she probably couldn't see the shrug, and thus added a soft, "yeah," before lying down on the bed.
She curled up on her side, watching him... watching as he began to fall asleep, keeping far enough back to keep form disturbing him
Fox did fall asleep soon enough, the endless wandering of his mind shifting into dreams.
She watched him for the longest time, slowly moving up, and kissing his cheek, before curling up beside him for sleep. "... Thank you, Fox..." she whispered as she drifted off
Fox practically jumped out of the bed from sleep at that, only by restraint of knowledge did he not do so. His eyes fell on her as she fell asleep herself, and he wondered if she knew that she'd woken him. He just shrugged it off, drifting back to sleep himself.
