Daybreak | IC Inbox.

[awooligan]

CLIFFORD NORMAN
UN: REDRIDINGHOODIE

STATUS: grade 11

ACCOLADES: n/a.

BIO: name's cliff. let me know if you'll buy cigarettes and shit for me, we can work something out.

© TESSISAMESS

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[kept_his_letters]

She shuffles her way over to his side, bringing both the tin and the box. She shoots him a grin right back.

"Trouble? Psh. I'm an expert at this."

Which probably means there were some shenanigans, but hey. She did, in fact, make it here. Here, in the secret space, with her new boyfriend. The flush makes a valiant effort to reach her cheeks.

"...So! Do you... want to listen to some old music? Or should that wait?

[awooligan]

"Ha. You're an expert at trouble, nerd."

Both things are true. But then, both things were true for Clifford as well. The joke momentarily has him braced for the closeness, back to the old days, but he's not immune for long. Still his best friend, but his best friend he's allowed to acknowledge as extremely pretty. And also she smells good, but he's definitely keeping that one to himself or he will die. He glances over to the things she's brought before staring down at the floor again.

"Uh, well... What would you want to do otherwise?"

Because she has to focus on the CD player to see the rose, but he's not sure if he'd rather that happen immediately or after he's had some time to hopefully be less awkward. Both options are good and bad.

[kept_his_letters]

She laughs and grins wider. She'll deny or confirm nothing!

The good-bad news for Cliff is that, in effort to make things less awkward for herself, she says, "Music it is."

Music will make this easier, calm her nerves about what might be very, very stupid. God, if he hates it, she'll have ruined the whole evening. Maybe the day. Maybe the weekend. Hopefully not everything...

She reaches for the chalk, then an old cassette, she's got the mist and--

"O-oh!" She picks up the box gingerly. "Is this- Did you-?"

[awooligan]

Maybe he can get Pepita to put him out of his misery. She's been a real pal so far. The question has him drawing a leg up to wrap his arms around, almost an attempt at a shield. Even with her and all they've been through, he's not entirely used to vulnerability.

"Y-yeah. Is that okay?"

...WHY did he ask THAT?

[kept_his_letters]

Good question, Cliff, cause she sure as hell doesn't know how to answer that. Her mouth opens and then closes and then she decides to not answer it. She turns her attention to the box, opening it slow, glancing at them as though to check if she's allowed, then continuing anyway. She lifts the rose up and breathes in the scent.

"This is really pretty," She says. She traces the petals with her fingertips. "Thank you, Cliff."

She looks around. She has no water but, all the same, she finds some sort of old jar. She can stick it up in that and settle it between them.

"...I... got you something too. But, I don't know if you'll like it. It's, um, it might not be something you want to do with, and, I can understand if that's the case. So, if you hate it, um, we can just throw it away somewhere, no big deal. And maybe we can pretend that I just forgot to get you anything like a big goof. Okay? So. Um... here."

She pulls the small box out from behind her and holds it out to him. A little wooden figure sits inside.

[awooligan]

His stomach protests with another flip-flop, but it's clear enough that not even his stupid brain can convince him otherwise that it was, in fact, okay. The care she takes and her following babbling help ease his tension even more. That sure is the girl he likes a ridiculous amount. She's perfect.

"You didn't have to get me anything in the first place," Cliff informs her as he takes the box with nearly the same gingerness she'd had when handling her own. He doesn't have the same hesitation in opening it, though, and blinks in mild surprise when he sees the figure. He's seen one of these before, back in Tobias's room, though obviously not carved like a wolf. "An...alebrije, right?"

He pulls it from its box, turning it over with curiosity and a tiny grin. Red with bright eyes, huh? Though he doesn't need to call her attention, he leans and lightly elbows her for it anyway, showing her the figure she'd picked out. "It looks like me. Look, it's even frowning."

Not that he's doing anything of the sort right now. Wolf stuff was still...weird. But Coco accepted and encouraged it, only hesitating when it came to feeling out his boundaries. Hard to not love a gift proving that.

[kept_his_letters]

If she weren't feeling nervous, she might shake her head. Of course, she had to get him something. She was going to whether she had to or not. Silliness.

She watches him open the box, hands curled on her knees, her breath held. She nods to confirm, yes, it's an alebrije. She's glad he already knows of it. Slowly, as he turns it over, she starts to relax. The bump to her side, making her sway, draws her smile back.

"That's why I had to get it. It's got your color. And your blue jeans. It's a mini you," She laughs. She starts to lean, just a little, into his side. "There's a man in town who sells all kinds of alebrije figures. I thought, if you liked it, it would remind you of this place too." Of her, even.

[awooligan]

Just two teen losers doing their best. All in all, their best is pretty good. He glances over at the lean, and carefully shifts so that his arm goes behind her, maintaining the closeness. Furthering it on his terms, even, to show that it's okay.

"I don't really need a reminder..." He thinks about her all the time. But he will gladly take one, anyway. Everyone loves a souvenir, and everyone loves gifts from cute girls even more. "But thanks, Coco. Heh. Kind of makes me wish you had one just like it, too..."

It makes him feel selfish to admit, but...he likes the idea of her having something around to make her think of him. Rose wouldn't last forever, unfortunately.

[kept_his_letters]

His arm around her shoulders. Her poor little heart is going to burst. It'll probably be worth it.

She flashes something of a smirk at him as she says, "I'll have to show you something cool, tomorrow."

Showing off now would be cool but would probably get them caught. She doesn't want to ruin this yet.

"But, once I get the music started, there's no way I'll forget."

[awooligan]

Maybe if he weren't bolstered by his good mood, he'd see those words as more ominous, but for now his curiosity is piqued and he wants to bug her for more information. He'll be good, though...mostly.

"Yeah? That good a song?"

[kept_his_letters]

She laughs and shrugs.

"It's alright. But I listen to it later and I'll remember this again." Which would then make it a good song. Maybe even a great one.

She leans over a bit to stick the casette in, though not so far she's completely out of his grip. She checks the volume is set low, then draws on the rune. Next, applying the mist, which always makes the air feel a little bit electric for just a moment. Then the rune glows. With a static crackle, click, and a bit of rewinding, some quiet music begins to play.

"I always remember things better with music." She settles back into his arm.

[awooligan]

He acknowledges her with a soft noise and watches her -- watches the rune being drawn because that's fascinating in a different way, but then goes back to her. The drawing's glow glints off one of his eyes, soft but still more than enough for him to get an even better view of the attic in the dark. When she settles again, he'd rather look to the floor and listen than get caught staring, even as he shifts so he can relax more comfortably while still keeping the contact.

It was good, music helping her remember. Maybe that had helped her hold onto the memories of her father all the better, making it so they could meet. It's not his focus, but he's certainly grown more aware of it in the time he's known her, letting the sounds layer in with the scents that kept things vivid for him. Adds a lot more to the scene than the dust.

...Enough thinking about what sort of memory this would make. "I like this," he murmurs, less about the song -- not super his style, being honest -- and more to do with the situation. Being there with her, in this room she held close to her heart, in the place she called home. Her body warm and soft next to his. Yeah. He likes this.

[kept_his_letters]

It's a neat little thing about him. She supposes, to some, that little eyeshine might be spooky, but she likes it. Maybe because it reminded of Pepita, maybe just because it was him. She hadn't considered that remembering her Papá is what led her to Cliff, but if she had, she'd be all the happier that she did remember.

But she does think about how much she likes this, this quiet moment right here, with him. When he echoes her thought, she smiles up at him.

"Me too," She says. "And you." It was... easy. They'd fumbled through a lot of things, even before they got to the weird feelings stage. But this feels natural.

[awooligan]

Being easy and natural doesn't make him blush any less at the reminder. It was still a bit of a wonder, no matter how familiar it was becoming -- he'd known for months, now, even if they hadn't officially been dating. "Yeah," he responds lamely, still quiet, as he dares to hold her more tightly against him for a moment.

He's content like that, but after a minute or so a thought loops back around from before and Cliff clears his throat. "Uh, so... How does your mom's deal with Pepita work...? She doesn't automatically know everything Pepita does, right?"

[kept_his_letters]

She's not surprised or too put it out that his worries should catch up to him. She's still comfortable. She does struggle not to laugh a little though.

"No. That's not how it works," She says. "The spirit guides can be messengers, but they can't speak the way people can. And there's no mind-reading either. They protect and they help to guide souls on whatever they're supposed to do, but they can't just tell us anything." She pauses. "They can track people really well though."

Which meant, in all likelihood, Pepita knew about this place. She just hoped the cat wouldn't lead Mamá here.

[awooligan]

Her reassurance makes him sigh out his worries, even if he knows he's not completely off the hook. "Okay. That's what I was hoping. She, uh, saw me heading out here, but she seemed pretty chill about it. Just didn't want your mom coming to breathe down my neck when we're not doing anything wrong..."

As much as he can without disturbing her, he shrugs. "Without you around, I'm out of practice for sneaking out of places, I guess."

[kept_his_letters]

"Mamá wouldn't be mad at you," She says, leaning her head upon Cliff. "Maybe me. But mostly she'd be worried we'd get hurt up here or something silly." Silly. Yes.

She looks a little surprised at his further confession. But, then she grins at him.

"Ah, so you'd been in need of my trouble contributions and expertise," She teases.

[awooligan]

"Uhhm, I mean... I don't know. Maybe."

God, this is such? an awkward subject?? How do you remind your new girlfriend that you're a teenage boy and she's very attractive, things that would probably be noticed by a concerned parent upon discovering they were finding someplace out of the way to be alone at night... He's already touching her more than he was used to, even if it's not like that. Or not...completely like that. It's probably a little like that, since he's not keen on touching people in the first place, but he wanted to make an exception for her.

The other topic is easier, even if he's being teased. He lightly rolls his eyes and gives her a little bump. "Can't say I haven't missed it."

[kept_his_letters]

It doesn't occur to her that that would be an issue. Besides the touch thing, there was the fact that she'd stayed in his room for a good long while. And besides that, she was perfectly capable of speaking up.

What absolute fool gets handsy with the daughter of necromancers anyway?

Her grinning is only encouraged by that bump. She sways and then bumps back.

"I haven't had to use my sneaking skills much lately either," She admits. "It's kind of nice."

[awooligan]

Well, he'd like to assume all that would be happening with her enthusiastic consent, obviously. He really wouldn't dare otherwise... But yeah, the point is that he doesn't need even more reason to feel wary and awkward around Coco's parents, and being discovered together might make him want to die before he can even find out just what issues they would take with that.

"Yeah. I bet." He's happy for her. Technically, he realizes, he should be feeling the same kind of relief. The two big secrets he'd been keeping were out in the open and life was continuing on better than ever... Cliff closes his eyes and takes a deep breath despite the smell of dust tickling his senses, letting that thought sink in. Letting himself feel lighter. "...Still fun sometimes, though. Like now."

[kept_his_letters]

She watches his face. She wasn't sure-- she's never really sure-- that he'd be on the same page, but the peaceful look on his face as he closes his eyes and breathes in, she's sure he feels the same. She tries to stamp the image into heart.

She laughs then.

"Oh, definitely. Sneaking out with the best-boy-friend on valentines weekend is a good time."

[awooligan]

Well, if there was anything to shatter that peace, it'd be that. His eyes open and flit over to her while his face heats up. Aaugh, embarrassing! Especially because he's really happy about it! Hearing the word 'best' in reference to him, and then followed by the words 'boy' and 'friend', possibly even 'boyfriend'... It warms his broody teen heart, but at the same time, how does he even respond to that without sounding like a complete moron or a parrot...?! It's also embarrassing to realize she'd been looking at him.

Trying to make himself look less like an idiot makes him suddenly far too aware of his own face. "Um..." Alright. If he's already looking stupid, he might as well sound stupid, too. "I...want to kiss you some more. I just keep thinking -- it's stupid. I don't want to...infect you, somehow. Or something because I know it doesn't work like that. I don't want to screw everything up."

[kept_his_letters]

Perhaps she should have left him be. It's strange. She both likes the flush of his face and feels guilty for ruining the moment. It's only as he explains himself that she feels her smile fall though.

She moves. She slips from his side, from under his arm. She shuffles along the old wooden boards until her knees are drawn close to him, facing him. She reaches out. Her hands quake a little with the nerves of doing something new, with how badly he could react to such a thing, but she goes to hold his face. If he jerks away, her hands will drop, and she'll take but a moment more to speak.

"... I don't know a lot about this. I think it's something to ask other people about. And I won't say I wouldn't mind being a wolf because I think that would make me sound like a stupid insensitive jerk and I don't really know. But... um... if it makes you feel better, we can, um, work around it." Her face colors. "I could kiss you instead. Or we could not and that would be okay. But, um. Either way. I don't think it would be screwing up."

[awooligan]

Nervousness rises as she moves, first because he's kicking himself and worrying that she's trying to get distance between them because he'd gone and reminded her. He had a monster inside him that she didn't want to catch. He didn't want her to catch it either -- or for it to catch her. Then she's coming closer again, reaching for him and he feels his pulse quicken in a far more uncomfortable way than before. Cliff doesn't pull away, but his jaw tightens as he fights to stay still and focus on her words instead. He trusts her. Coco wouldn't hurt him for as long as she could avoid it.

He doesn't last the whole way through her words, pulling back and reaching to rest his fingers on one of her wrists to gently push it away around the time she starts suggesting things. But he keeps his hand there. It's not a rejection of her.

"No way, I don't want to not kiss you." That would be frustrating beyond belief. It's already frustrating, even though that's all directed inward, as he makes himself continue admitting his unnecessary fear. He's such an idiot. "I'd have to, uh...bite you. They told me. They said to make you sick like me, I'd have to bite you as a wolf. But I'm -- I'm still me. It doesn't feel different to me, to talk, or to do stuff. When you, um, touch me."

That one's hard to admit, when he's instantly inundated with the memory of her petting him, and touching his face like she just had been. Cliff keeps his eyes down. "They're still my teeth. It's my mouth, you know? It's just so much easier for me to change than other people, I -- what if I'm more messed up than the other lycans?"

[kept_his_letters]

She lets him hold her wrists like that, though she wants to try and hold his hands. Give him a moment, she tells herself. Slow down. She smiles faintly, just a moment, when he insists he really does want to kiss her. In some ways, just the knowledge he wants to is enough in itself. Then it's back to figuring out what to do. Then it's back to hurting for him.

"What if you're not?" She asks. "What if nothing bad happens?" She doesn't think he considers that much. She hopes he does now.

She sighs softly.

"The worst thing... I guess, the worst thing, for you, is if I catch it too. But... then what? Say I do. I don't... I just can't see it ruining my life. I don't see why it would. But that's the worst thing. You say it doesn't feel different, and, I guess I can understand." After all, her Papá was the same, in a sense. "But, even if you can't tell when you're, um, a different shape..." She tries not to laugh, but she does a little. "Well, it would be very hard for me to kiss a dog. If you changed, somehow, accidentally, it wouldn't be me kissing a wolf. It's not a full moon. You wouldn't just bite me-- in any form, I think. You wouldn't do that any more than you would hit me. You're physically capable, but you wouldn't. Ever. And you're not sick and you're not messed up either. So. It's up to you. They told you nothing could happen but we could look at magic or things. I know you don't want something to happen and feel like it's your fault. But I'm not worried about that. Just... whatever you do... don't feel bad about it, okay?"